


End of The Day

by Zooropey



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Blood and Injury, Dystopia, Evil Plans, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Happy Ending, M/M, Protective Liam, Protective Louis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2019-09-28 03:25:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 70,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17174948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zooropey/pseuds/Zooropey
Summary: A little dystopian fiction based loosely on Day of The Triffids and multiple other dystopian works as this is my favourite genre.  Harry is the scholarship photography student who did not fit in.  Louis is the wealthy son of a tech CEO.  Neither of these backgrounds matter much though in the new world chaos and they both learn to come to rely on and trust in each other - along with friendships made along the way.





	1. Introduction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How it all began - a brief background chapter - before we get stuck in to the drama

Part 1 - Introducing Harry

Harry busied himself in his dark room, dipping his most recent project in and out of various chemical preparations, before pegging the emerging A5 size prints up to dry. The protective gloves were making his hands sweaty and there was a stray curl escaping from where he had scrapped his hair back into a bun to ensure he did not have to put chemical covered hands up to his eyes to clear his vision.

He enjoyed the simple peace of working in the dark room, reaping the rewards of his hours of painstaking photography. His peers at college could never understand his preference for non digital film, and sometimes, when he had to build in the additional hours to a project whereas they could merely photoshop and press print, he also wondered what possessed him to favour this medium. However the time spent cut off from the pressures of the outside world whilst he concentrated on his sole purpose was like a small luxury in itself. 

Harry’s smartphone lay upstairs on his bedside cabinet - safely away from chemical damage and there was no way his friends, family or tutors could reach him without actually walking around to his residential block’s basement in person. Even more satisfying was the fact that the social media trolls who sometimes frequented his messaging apps and social media could not reach him and destroy his fragile confidence in his abilities, whilst he was cut off in this way. Everything he did down in this basement, was for his eyes only unless he chose to share.

Harry was not you see a popular student, his family was from the most deprived Council estate in the City and where that would have been fine had he himself stayed in those circles, his having taken up a scholarship in the City’s top grammar school had ensured that he neither fitted in with his school peers or either now his neighbours and the children he spent his early years in the company of.

Alongside the scholarship had come the opportunity to move into the college grounds for his sixth form years, and as the two bedroom flat he shared with his parents and sister was cramped and the attraction of a basement dark room had been presented, he had taken up the offer. Although having his own room and ensuite was a luxury, his lack of friends in the college dorms made life somewhat lonely and was perhaps was more of a reason Harry was so often to be found in amongst his photos in the basement. He of course liked to convince himself that he had a sense of productivity and a desire to ace his A Level studies. It was better than admitting the truth that he was more than a bit lonely.

Harry completed pegging up his final image as his stomach made a loud growling sound. He stopped momentarily at the sound and wondered how long he had been down in the basement this time. Peeling his gloves off from his hands, he wiped his sweaty palms on his jumper before stretching his arms above his head to release some of the clicking knots which had formed along his spine from an excess of time bending over his work.

Humming slightly to himself he edged along the side of the room feeling his way for the door and bracing himself for the inevitable shock of the light from the outside world breaking though once the portal was opened. His hand felt the cool steel of the door handle and he gripped it and pushed down, slightly leaning into the door as he did so in order to slowly open it out onto the corridor which lead to the stairway. Slipping through the door and ensuring it was closed firmly behind him to stop light leaking through to his work, he felt along the wall for the light switch and pressed down. 

A brief flickering and then the corridor was suddenly too bright and Harry quickly raised his had to his face to shade his eyes whilst they acclimatised. Along with light came the distant sound of voices, which in itself was not unusual for a weekday evening at the dorms. What was unusual however was the tone of the voices, they sounded loud and distressed and maybe a little frantic. 

Harry crinkled his eyebrows slightly and made his way toward the stairs, which he began to climb slowly whilst keeping his ears pricked to the noise coming from above. On reaching the landing at the top, Harry pushed open the fire door into the ground floor corridor of the dorms. Before he could step through however the door rebounded back on to him and Harry heard the sound of running footsteps and shouted words. He was momentarily taken aback and didn’t catch the words being shouted immediately. It was with a rising panic that he then detected the frantic voice of the female shrieking “it burns, my eyes, it burns”. Shit was there a fire?!? Harry wondered. He racked his brains to remember the fire safety drills, what did you do if you thought there might be a fire on the other side of a closed door? That’s it, check for heat! Harry put the back of his hand against the closed door to discern whether there was a heat differential? But the door just felt cool as you would expect a metal fire door should. 

Gently Harry leaned on the door once more and pushed it slightly ajar so he could see down the corridor. The voices had faded away and the corridor now looked empty excepting for an overturned chair halfway down. The back exit door was however wide open and that in itself was odd, give that it was March and the nights were not exactly warm. Harry moved away from the stairs and edged down the corridor until he could peep out of the doorway. What he saw was incredibly odd. There were around 20-30 college pupils stumbling around in the grounds, some clutching at their heads, others screaming out in apparent pain. Harry backed up into the corridor, wondering what to do.

After a few seconds of biting at his lip, Harry decided that he needed to go find his phone in his room, he could then google or call his family to see if they had heard of anything odd at the school ground. Something in his gut told him not to go out into the mayhem without having some idea of what was going on. 

Harry’s room was on the top floor in the attic wing, in a corridor shared with only one other room. In order to get there he needed to take the back stairs so he headed back along the corridor away from the exit. Having been a misfit at the school for the past 5 years, Harry had become quite talented at moving around without being noticed. He assumed his customary slouch and staring down at his feet to avoid eye contact with anyone he might meet on the stairs he began to make his way up the 6 flights leading to his attic room. He needn’t have worried however as the stairs were deserted and he met no one on his climb. 

Reaching the top of the stairs Harry quickened his pace and, not without a sense of relief reached his own door, room 601. Sliding his key out of his pocket, Harry quickly unlocked the door and slipped inside. On entering the room Harry flicked on the light and went straight to his bedside cabinet to retrieve his phone, which of course he had forgotten to plug into the charger and was now dead, Shit!!! Harry looked at the battery operated clock on his wall and was genuinely shocked to see that it read 9.30pm, he had been down in the basement for 5 hours, well that explained his growling stomach as he hadn’t eaten since lunch.

Harry quickly flicked the switch on for his charger and plugged his phone in, sitting on the edge of his bed to await the screen lighting up as the phone picked up the charge. He rummaged around in the top drawer of his cabinet and pulled out a pack of jaffa cakes, grabbing a couple to take the edge off his hunger as he waited. As he chewed, the screen's light flashed on proclaiming the phone to have 1% charge just as a number of notifications flashed up. The first was a missed call from his mum around 5pm, with a text from his sister about 5.10pm asking where he was was, and telling him to pick up the phone. 

Harry clicked on the notification from his mum and confirmed that he wished to return the call, before bringing the phone to his ear and listening to the ring tone. Oddly the phone went straight to voicemail so Harry hung up and instead replied to his sister’s text, “I’m here now, wha’s sup?” Whilst waiting for the reply to come through Harry flicked to the BBC news app thinking to check the local news. However his attention was taken by news bulletins proclaiming the phenomena of the Aurora Borealis having been seen in the UK skies and indeed across mainland Europe. Harry checked the time of the latest update and noted it was 5.30pm. He tutted as the app had obviously not refreshed properly this being the latest update there was. He pressed the refresh icon but the app failed to produce any more content, typical BBC he thought, the app must have crashed again!!!

Part 2 - Introducing Louis (and of course Niall)

Louis woke up for the second time today groaning and clutching at his head at least this time he felt less likely to empty his stomach of it’s contents if he moved. He shuffled around in the bed to check whether the room’s owner was also still in the bed and indeed to ascertain whether Niall was as fragile as he himself was. Niall was lying on the bed with his back pressed against the wall, his mouth open and a small stream of drool stretching from his lip to a small pool forming in the duvet dangerously close to Louis’s own cheek.

Louis shuffled himself backward in what would have been a subtle way, had he not been so close to the edge of the bed. The result in actual fact was a loud crash as Louis hit the floor followed by a shriek and an “ Wha? Ow Shit!!” as Niall woke up, sat up and smacked his head on the wall mounted shelf in that exact order! 

Louis lay on the floor praying for his stomach to settle and groaning until Niall’s head appeared over the edge of the bed, looking at him quizzically. 

“Niall - why did you let me do Tequila shots, you know it’s deadly to me! I blame you entirely” Louis whined. The night before they had been out clubbing, celebrating nothing more than Louis’s dad having just topped up his account with his generous monthly allowance. They had gone out for the student night at Spiders night club, around 10pm and Louis has no no idea what time they made it home - but it was definitely light and they had passed students on the way to lessons as they had stumbled back to Niall’s dorm room. 

Niall was from Ireland and boarded at the school. The two had been firm friends since they started at Kings Grammar in year 7 and if they fancied a night of under aged drinking Louis would always elect to stay over in Niall’s dorm. His father was generous with his money but he was not keen on Louis drinking and he definitely would not have approved of Louis missing a day of lessons due to the hangover from hell. Louis was starting to suspect that this was today’s scenario as it felt late in the day to his drink dulled senses.

“What time is it”? Louis asked, noting that the blackout blind was down on Niall’s window blocking out any light. Niall looked at the smart watch on his wrist, which luckily still had battery life. “Oh crap” he exclaimed, it’s 21.00! We’ve slept all day away Lou”. 

“Gah” Louis whined again. His Dad was going to be cross as he had been going away on a business trip for two days that afternoon and would have expected some contact from Louis before he left. 

Louis lived with his father as he and his mother had divorced when the pressures of his father establishing his tech company had meant constant arguments in the marriage. Louis was one of five children, he had four younger sisters, and his father had definitely prioritised business over family. When the marriage had broken down Louis had felt he had to go with his dad as someone had to look out for him and his sisters could barely bring themselves to speak to him, blaming him for the marriage breakdown. A year later his father's company had made the top 100 tech companies list and his father's success had grown from there. 

Now Louis and his father share a large gated property on the outskirts of town and Louis wants for nothing in material terms. The downside is that he misses his mum and sisters quite a bit and goes for days at a time without even seeing his father. It’s understandable he sometimes goes off the rails a bit he thinks.

Louis eased himself up onto his elbows, taking a moment to allow his head to stop spinning, before flipping over onto his stomach and half crawling, half commando sliding over to the ensuite. Once inside the small tiled space he eased himself up onto his feet, clinging on to the sink. Drawing himself upright he took the opportunity to rest his head on the cool ceramic whilst he reached up to locate the spare toothbrush that Niall always kept there for him. 

Having brushed the furr away from his teeth and tongue Louis felt a little more alive and went back into the dorm room in an walking with a steady gait, which was a definite improvement. Niall was at the window, having lifted up the blind. He was squinting out into the dark, the light from the dorm room causing glow back and limiting his visibility.

“Switch the light off a mo Lou” Niall requested, noticing that Louis had re-entered the room. Exclaiming “What the Fuck!” a couple of seconds after Louis had done so.

“What’s up” Louis asked, intrigued and moved toward the window himself. Niall moved slightly to the side so that Louis was able to squeeze up next to him and follow his line of sight. Outside it was dark and it took his eyes a couple of seconds to adjust and make out the outline of various people in the grounds moving in an odd an stilted way, arms stretched in front of them or else clutching at their faces! 

“Was there a Zombie walk arranged for tonight or something Nailler” Louis enquired, his eyebrows wrinkling with confusion. “No idea” Niall replied slowly as if his brain was not quite registering properly. 

While they were watching the scene outside, the sound of footsteps came from the corridor and both boys froze, feeling anxious but not quite sure why. They both breathed a slight sigh of relief as they heard the sound of the door to the dorm next door opening quietly. It didn’t sound like the pandemonium from outside had spread upstairs but more likely that Nialls scruffy, gangly neighbour had returned home, probably from the constant study that appeared to occupy his life according to Niall’s description of him the time Louis had first noticed him and asked. 

“Think that was just Harry” Niall was obviously of the same opinion. “What do you think we should do about that?” Niall said gesturing to the window once more. “Should we go check it out?” Just at that moment there came a loud scream from outside causing both boys to jump back from the window and Louis to reply “Erm no mate I don’t think so”. 

“Where’s your chromebook?” Louis suddenly thought to ask. Niall pointed at the desk and Louis went over to it, flipping open the lid and entering Niall’s password, which of course he knew. Once the chromebook was open Louis clicked into the Snapchat app. Oddly not a single one of their friends was showing as online, not even Suzy who practically lived her entire life in social media. Louis clicked on Suzy’s profile all the same and read the posts there which appear to be expressing awe at some sort of lights in the sky, of which a couple of blurry photos had been included. The last post just stated that Suzy was feeling a little dizzy and going for a snooze, that was at 6pm and there had been nothing since. 

Louis clicked on a few more profiles, finding mostly similar content. From what he could deduce his friends had seen some lights in the sky at around 5pm, they had taken photos and exchanged theories, ranging from natural storm phenomena to aliens, up until around 6pm when every one of them had expressed a sudden sleepiness and gone off line.

Louis began to get a sinking feeling in his stomach which only worsened with each new profile he clicked on to. He looked up to see Niall watching him expectantly. “Niall something is definitely up mate” he said quickly explaining what he had just been reading and seeing and passing the chromebook over to Niall so that he could see for himself.

Louis needed to phone his Dad, he would know what was happening. He foraged around in Niall’s bed sheets until he found his phone, which had clearly fallen from his pocket while he slept. Miraculously, given his hard partying the previous night, the phone still had charge, less good though was the apparent absence of mobile signal. That was odd even on it’s own as usually there was a full 4G offering from up in Niall’s attic level room. 

“No signal” he turned back to Niall “do you have one?” 

Niall picked up his device from it’s charging pad where he had at least had the foresight to put it. His face took on a slightly concerned expression as he slowly shook his head.

At that Louis stood up, somewhat dramatically. “Well Nialler we need to know what’s going on and I don’t know about you but I don’t fancy going out there without some facts. Your neighbour appears to have just returned home and hence I assume he’s been out there. I vote we go next door and make our enquiries!” 

To Louis’s surprise Niall did not spring up in excitement at the rather genius idea. “Erm” he said “I know Harry looks mostly harmless but how do we know that whatever has affected those guys out there has not turned him into a zombie like killer!” 

“Harry! Gangly, wouldn’t say boo to a goose boy from next door Harry? A Zombie like killer?!? Are you still drunk Niall?” Louis half giggled. 

Niall still looked unsure but he got up off the bed, reaching over to pull out his old ice hockey stick from next to the wardrobe. “Just a precaution” he stated firmly before slipping on his trainers. Louis nodded, it was actually not a bad back up plan! He shuffled his feed into his trainers also and then walked quietly over to the door, gesturing to Niall to stay silent as he gently edged opened the door and peered into the corridor.

All appeared quiet and normal, the corridor was lit only by the night time fire escape lighting, which was usual for after 10pm, when it was officially “lights out” time. However Louis could see the faint band of light from under door number 601, indicating that a) someone was there and awake and b) that someone was functioning at least normally enough to have needed to put a light on. 

Gesturing to Niall to follow, Louis edged along the corridor until he was standing outside the door. Looking behind briefly to see Niall at his back, hockey stick raised in preparation, Louis raised his fisted hand and brought into contact with Harry’s door, knocking twice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you will stick with me to see where this goes


	2. A Place of Safety

Chapter 2 - A Place of Safety

Harry’s eyes were startled away from his phone screen by a knocking on the door! The feeling that something was off with the world intensified at the sound as no one ever came up to the sixth floor to knock for Harry.

Cautiously he stood up from the bed and walked toward the door. “Yes? Who is it?” he asked trying to keep his voice steady. “Niall from next door” replied a voice which was distinctly not Irish and hence not Niall! 

Harry remained silent not quite knowing how to react, but then he heard a second voice saying “C'mon open up mate I am getting nervous out here!” This time the voice held the familiar tones of his neighbour. It’s not that he and Niall had talked much, but they usually said a polite hello if they met in the corridor. 

Harry turned the lock and gently opened the door a couple of inches to peak out. His eyes immediately made contact with the intense blue eyes of, oh my god!!!, it’s Louis Tomlinson! Harry has had a crush on him from afar since year seven, and now he is stood right outside his door, whilst Niall is waving a hockey stick over his shoulder and looking distinctly jittery. “Erm” Harry just about manages to squeak out, seriously wondering whether to just slam the door closed to protect himself from either being whacked by an Irish lad waving a hockey stick, or else and perhaps worse be called out for blushing furiously at the close proximity to Louis.

Louis you see is everything Harry admires in a boy, or he guesses he should say a young man, he’s confident but always smiling, never smirking like most of the cooler college kids tended to, he’s popular but never mean with it, he’s always impeccably dressed in his soft sporty way, and his cheekbones! God he’s beautiful. But right now if Harry is honest he looks a bit pale and he’s biting his lip slightly in a concerned manner.

“Are you a zombie?” Niall asks suddenly and a little unexpectedly!

“Erm” Harry manages again, but then follows up with a careful “No I don’t think so” and then a perhaps unnecessary “I am Harry”.

“Louis” states the smaller lad by way of an introduction, which is definitely not necessary all things considered. “Yes I erm know” Harry volunteers all the same. 

Niall appears to be reassured on the non zombie front as Harry notices he has lowered the hockey stick. “Do you think we could come in” Louis asks and Harry nods his head quickly whilst stepping back into the room allowing space for the others to follow.

Once inside Niall leans firmly back on the door until it clicks shut. Harry moves his attention back to Louis who is pacing across the room toward the window. “We heard you coming back to the dorm a few minutes ago, did you come from outside, do you know what’s going on?” he said turning to look meaningfully at Harry.

“Um no” Harry replied “I was in the basement working on my photographs in the dark room. When I came out people were acting weird so I came straight back here to check my phone”

Louis looked at him for a moment and it felt like he was searching his eyes for a better answer, but then he slumped down onto the bed and sighed “shit!”. He suddenly perked up and asked “your phone? do you have a signal?” 

Harry picked his phone up to check and yes he had, although he noted that his sister still had not responded to his text message. “Yes” he replied unplugging his phone from the charger and passing it over to Louis without a second thought. 

“OK” Louis said slowly as if considering his next move, I am going to ring Dad see what he knows. As he spoke Harry noted that he had pulled up the onscreen pad and was tapping in a number. His face took on a look of concentration as he listened to what sounded like ringtones, but then there was a voice and Louis’ face lit up momentarily until he registered that the call had gone to voicemail. “Dad, it’s Louis call me back on this number when you get this message please” he stated before tapping the red button to end the call.

The boys stood awkwardly looking at each other then, but only for a brief moment as the lights then flickered and the room was pitched into darkness, excepting the glow from Harry’s phone screen. 

“Crap” came the lilting voice of Niall “no one move we need our eyes to acclimatise to the dark”. Obediently all three boys remained still and for a few seconds only the sound of slow breathing could be heard in the dark. Then suddenly and quite from nowhere a bright flash lit up the room followed by a loud bang and then pained screaming and whimpering from outside. 

“Don’t look, get down” Louis shouted as he dragged both Niall and Harry down to the floor covering his head with his hands and indicating the others to do so too. Three more flashes and bangs outside and suddenly all fell silent. Harry brought his eyes up to Louis both boys sharing a fearful look. Then Harry heard a noise like a small rotary engine. It appeared to be approaching the window outside. Risking a look over to the window Harry noted what appeared to be a strobe light moving around the grounds outside. Something instinctual within him told him being detected by that light would not be a good thing! 

“Under the bed now he whispered harshly at Niall, whilst grabbing ahold of Louis’s sleeve and dragging him forcibly into the the ensuite. Once inside the small room, he shoved Louis down into the bath with a “oomph” and leapt on top of him pulling the shower curtain quickly across. It had all happened in a matter of seconds and Harry thought his heart might be about to beat right out of his chest as he lay on top of Louis, his face smushed into his neck and his eyes tightly closed like he could will away danger just by not looking at it. 

He lay there rigid until he felt Louis wriggling beneath him and heard him whisper, “can’t breathe!”. “Shit sorry” he half breathed, half whispered as he moved to the side a bit to allow Louis to pull himself from under him and instead slip behind him as if they were spooning. 

Harry managed to bring himself to open his eyes just enough to see via the edge of the shower curtain, what appeared to be a strobe light searching the room outside the ensuite. Harry prayed that Niall had made it under the bed and that the light was going to stay safely outside the window. The light seemed to stay for an eternity but in reality it was probably only about 10 seconds before it left the room in darkness and the sound of the moving motor of the engine began to fade away. 

The two boys in the bath remained still for about 30 seconds or so before Harry heard Louis risk a whispered “Niall?” in order to check on his friend.

“I’m here” Niall replied and then there was the sound of shuffling and then a bump as Niall rolled into the ensuite and slumped down on the floor in front of the door breathing rapidly. “The fuck was that?!” he exclaimed. 

Harry felt Louis breathe in deeply behind him as he exclaimed “I don’t know and I really don’t bloody want to find out mate!” 

Harry suddenly felt like he couldn’t breathe, he starting shaking and gasping and could feel himself breaking out in a sweat. “Hey hey” a soothing voice whispered in his ear and he felt a soft touch rubbing up and down the top of his arm. “It’s ok Harry you’re safe now” Louis whispered softly, “try to breathe with me ok”. 

For the next five minutes the boys all sat together in silence syncing their breathing, Niall on the floor back resting against the door and Harry and Louis still squeezed together in the bath Louis rubbing Harry’s arm with one hand whilst holding him tightly across his stomach with his other arm. 

When Harry felt able to speak once more he verbalised the thoughts that had been running through his mind causing the panic. “I don’t think we should stay here, it doesn’t feel safe!” 

“No shit Sherlock” Louis whispered but Harry figured he was probably trying to stay calm himself and also avoid Harry winding himself back up into a full blown panic attack.

“Any suggestions of where to go?” Niall asked quietly from across the room. 

“Perhaps my place” Louis suggested. Dad’s got a panic room in case of robbery and we have security cameras and a generator which might be helpful if the power doesn’t come back on. Also it’s possible Dad will head back there and he will know what to do. 

“Where is your place?” Harry managed to ask.

“Outskirts of town, bout 5 miles from here” Louis answered. “We could take my car or else walk along the river”. 

“Well I vote for the car” personally Niall volunteered. 

“Do you think that wise in light of the motorised thingy that unless I am mistaken was blowing up anything that moved outside earlier?” Louis debated. 

Harry whimpered again quietly and was rewarded with another squeeze around his torso from Louis. 

“I am not sure Louis, but I think I like our chances of outrunning trouble a little better on four wheels than two legs if I am honest” Niall responded. Harry considered this point and nodded shivering slightly again. “Ok I think car too” he offered hoping this was not going to prove to be a monumental and possibly fatal mistake.

“Right then” Louis released Harry and pushed himself up to get out of the bath slowly, listening the the potential return of a rotary engine. “We need to go back to your dorm for the car keys Niall” he stated. 

Harry suddenly had an idea. “Should we change into dark clothes first?” he said. “I have a couple of black beanies and some black shoe polish for our faces, it might make it easier to get to the car without being seen?” 

“Good idea, young Harold” Louis responded “a bit of camouflage it is” 

The boys left the ensuite keeping low to the ground and as far away from the window as possible whilst Harry grabbed a change of clothes, shoe polish and his wallet and phone before crawling to join the other two boys in their position squatting by the door. 

When Harry reached them Louis gave a small nod to Niall who in turn reached up and slid the lock open on the door. Taking a deep breath Niall then slid the door slightly ajar so that he could peak out and check the corridor outside was clear before he edged around the door and back along the corridor to his own dorm. Harry let Louis go next and then followed behind, not bothering to close his door behind him lest it made unnecessary noise. Harry did not think he had ever been this scared before in his whole life, but if Louis and Niall could keep going then he could too couldn’t he?

Niall had reached the door of room 602 now and was pushing it gently open whilst gesturing for Louis and Harry to stay where they were. Harry may have followed the instruction not to move too well as when Niall’s head appeared back around the door beckoning them to follow he realised he had actually been holding his breath! 

Harry followed Louis along the corridor and into Niall’s room, noting that the blackout blind had been pulled down, which he assumed is what Niall had been doing while they waited outside. 

“Ok lads” Louis spoke out in a whisper “lets get changed quickly” 

Harry was grateful for the lack of light as he quickly shrugged off his blue denim jeans and pulled up the pair of black joggers he had brought from next door. Harry had never felt good about his gangly giraffe like body and the idea of being partially naked in front of Louis Tomlinson was not appealing even in the current crisis. Watching the silhouette of Louis however as he stripped down to underwear and pulled on some dark jeans and a black shirt that Niall passed him, that was a different matter.

***************************************************************************************************

Louis pulled up the zipper on the jeans that were slightly too large for him and shrugged on the loaned tee shirt, bending down to roll up the jean legs so they did not trail on the floor. As he looked back up he made eye contact with Harry across the dark room. Harry’s eyes widened and he looked away quickly.

“You alright Harry?” he asked. He had felt how shaken Harry was earlier as he had lay holding him in the bath whilst he trembled. He had never paid the strange kid any attention on the rare occasions he had encountered him in school previously, but somehow as they had huddled together in the bath earlier he had been filled with the need to protect Harry. Despite the fact that making his way across town with just Niall would probably be safer, his mind had never even considered leaving Harry behind as an option.

He saw Harry nod to show he was OK, even though he was still apparently staring down resolutely at the floor. 

Louis looked around to Niall who had finished dressing and was just putting his trainers back on. 

“Harry, can you black up our faces now please” he asked gently, bringing Harry’s attention back to him. 

Harry nodded again and moved across toward Louis, rummaging in his pocket and pulling out the tin of polish. Louis reached across to Niall’s desk and pulled a tissue out from the open box there, handing it to Harry. “Here use this” he suggested.

Harry signalled for Louis to sit down on the bed and when he complied Harry knelt down between his legs so that their faces were on a level. Harry dabbed the tissue into the polish and smeared it onto Louis cheek. The soft gentle strokes on his face were soothing and he found his eyelids blinking closed for a second. When he opened his eyes Harry was staring at him and had stilled his hand on Louis cheek. Almost instinctively Louis reached up to stroke his thumb gently down Harry’s left cheek as his eyes met the intense green gaze. They held the contact for around 10 seconds, until Niall drew their attention by sitting down on the bed next to Louis. 

Harry seemed to shake himself slightly and then turned to Niall to repeat the process of applying the polish to his face. When Niall was suitably darkened Louis gently took the polish tin from Harry’s hand, reached up to the desk for a fresh tissue and returned the favour on Harry’s face. If he enjoyed the feeling of running his fingers over Harry’s cheekbones and soft eyelids with the thin tissue as the only barrier between them he was not going to admit that to himself. Louis forced himself to concentrate on what he was doing rather than who he was doing it to and he had soon finished the job. 

“Ok, are we ready?” he asked of the two other boys. “The car is in the student car park, we need to stay close to the building walls until we reach the road and then we can duck down into the bushes and check whether the coast is clear. I will go first, Harry then you, Niall bring up the rear.” 

“Roger that” said Niall in fake soldier style, and Louis rolled his eyes just a little, before pulling his borrowed beanie hat down over his ears. The other two boys followed suit and shit Louis guessed they were actually doing this!

They walked over to the door, keeping their footsteps as light as possible and Louis gently slid the lock across, opening the door and peeping back out into the corridor. He gestured for Harry and Naill to assume the formation behind him and slipped out past the door edging his way toward the stairs.

Reaching the fire door at the top of the stairs, Louis took a deep breath and then opened the door, listening out for the sound of anyone else in the stairwell, but all was quiet. He beckoned the boys to follow and made his way down the stairs, stopping on each landing to listen for activity. By the time they reached the ground floor and they had still not seen another person Louis had started to feel more confident. He waited for Harry and Naill to join him and then led them to the fire exit door, leaning on the bar to open it.

On looking outside any confidence he gained was swiftly lost. The grounds outside were littered with bodies, and body parts. Louis felt the acid in his stomach threatening to rise up into his mouth as he gagged at the sight! “Shit” this was fucking real, no game! 

“Keep your eyes down” he whispered to Harry and Niall wanting to spare them from the sight. “Let’s hold on to each other and edge slowly along the wall,” he instructed as he took hold of Harry’s hand. He waited for Harry to grab Niall’s wrist and then they moved out through the door and up against the wall. The car park was around 50 metres away so Louis picked up speed a little, not wanting them to be caught with no cover part way there. He kept a firm hold on Harry's hand, reassured by it's warm firm grip.

When they reached the bushes at the end of the building Louis pulled Harry down into cover, with Niall following having in turn been dragged down by Harry. “Ok” Louis whispered, gesturing to the cars in the car park, “Mine is the black Mercedes GLA, four cars down on the left. When I press the button to unlock it the back lights are going to flash, I need each of you to cover one so that the flash doesn’t draw attention. When I count to 3 we all go OK?” The two boys nodded back and Louis started counting in a low whisper “1, 2, 3”

The boys leapt to their feet and raced across the car park, Harry and Niall throwing themselves across the back of he car to block one light each as instructed whilst Louis ran to the drivers side and pressed the unlock button. He opened the door to the car, gesturing the other two boys to get in quickly. They both clambered into the back seats as Louis turned the key in the ignition taking care to immediately turn off the automated headlights. “I think we need to drive with the lights off and hope not to crash he stated” as he pulled slowly out of the parking bay. “ you two keep a watch out for lights or any other sign of trouble and I will try to get us to my house as quickly as possible.

Harry and Niall nodded each turning their heads to a window to scout outside.

Louis slowly moved forward out of the car park and onto the road. As he drove through town they passed a number of people stumbling around in the dark streets. “I don’t think they can see” Harry said from the back. “Well it is dark” replied Niall. “No” Harry whispered “I mean it’s like they are blind”. Louis looked more closely at a person stumbling along the pavement, and thought that Harry might be right, and wait was that blood around their eyes, like they were crying red tears? “What the crap has happened!” he exclaimed to himself.

“Erm Louis” he heard Harry’s voice, “there are um lights in the sky about three streets away and I think they are moving toward us, how far is your house?”

They were still a couple of miles away so Louis put his foot down a little to speed up as much as he dared whilst driving in the dark with no lights. 

They drove on for another 10 tense minutes, Harry and Niall watching the progress of the lights in the sky through the tinted rear glass, whilst Louis concentrated on getting them home without hitting one of the people who randomly stumbled out into the road along the way.

Finally Louis rounded the corner of his street and saw the gates to his house up ahead. He reached into the glove compartment pulling out the security key for the gate and pressing it. The gates swung open and Louis drove through, heading directly for the underground parking area. 

Once parked up, Louis switched off the ignition and leant back breathing a sigh of relief, he was home and already it felt safer. 

“Ok you two” he said looking back and meeting Harry’s nervous eyes, “let’s go into the house and see if we can find out what’s going on”. Harry nodded, and he saw Niall salute from the corner of his eye, then all three opened their doors and stepped out of the car.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so the chapter title may be a bit misleading as i am not sure that safety is what Louis' house will bring.


	3. Signs of a Struggle

Chapter 3 - Signs of a struggle

Once out of the car Harry felt his heart rate begin to slow down as the parking area appeared quiet and it was under cover so comparatively safe from an air attack. His eyes were fixed on Louis checking his face for any sign that he found his home not as he expected. But Louis looked relaxed enough beckoning the other two boys to follow him as he walked toward a metal door at the edge of the five parking bays which the underground area housed. Harry noted that there were no other cars parked up, which was hopefully a good sign that they would not be meeting unexpected company. Louis had explained again on the way into the grounds that his father was away on a business trip so the house should be empty.

Harry wasn’t sure whether to maintain the earlier formation as Louis had instructed on their journey to the car, but when he looked at Niall he saw that he was gesturing him to go first so he tucked himself behind Louis just as they came to a halt in front of the door. Harry watched as Louis daintily tapped out a numerical code onto the security pad with his pointer finger, and then heard the distinct click of a lock mechanism disengaging.

Louis confidently opened the door up and started to briskly trot up the staircase that lay ahead. “I don’t know about you lads” he shouted back to them “but I am starving” Then turning specifically to Harry he added “stairs open out onto the kitchen so we can grab something to eat while we check the security cameras.” 

Harry’s face fell at the idea that Louis thought someone might be in the house, but he was reassured by Louis who, apparently noticing his panic, laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder and said “We will be alone Harry, this place has better security than the Royal Mint! That number pad earlier also has fingerprint recognition built in, my father is nothing if not paranoid!”

“Excellent I am bloody starving” came the cheerful Irish tones from behind, and Harry even managed a small smile as they entered the kitchen.

The kitchen itself appeared to be very high tech, all shiny steel cabinets and surfaces with straight lines and hidden appliances, although only lit currently by a faint emergency light over the stairway door. “Shit!” Louis exclaimed as he pressed the light switch down and nothing happened, “powers out, change of plan, first stop better be the portable generator. Niall give us a hand, Harry you stay here!”

At that the two of them turned around and disappeared off back down the stairs. Harry stood still for a few moments not quite sure what to do, but then he registered the feeling of tiredness in his legs, after all he had previously been standing up in the dark room for over 5 hours. He noted the outline of some breakfast stools over by the counter and shuffled across to sit down on one. 

He had just started to get comfortable when he heard the distant sound of a generator spluttering into life and the the light in the Kitchen flickered on, revealing not only as he had deduced earlier a really nice kitchen but also a screen mounted on the wall which appeared to now be showing footage from a security camera somewhere in the grounds outside. The screen flashed and now there was an internal image, possibly the entrance hall as the door at the edge of the projected image did appear to be an external one. Harry jumped in alarm as the image changed again and Harry made out the outlines of two figures climbing stairs, but he breathed again when he realised it was Louis and Niall and that this particular camera must cover the stairway up from the car park. 

Harry turned round to see Niall and Louis entering the kitchen, looking pleased when they acknowledged that the power was now on. “Right now the important stuff” Louis exclaimed “Let’s find some food!” He moved toward one of the steel cabinets, which he opened to reveal was a fridge. He tutted at the fact that the fridge appeared to have been off for a few hours and had warmed up as result, but he pulled out a pack of bacon and some eggs and seemed satisfied that they remained edible. He looked to Niall and asked “you fancy making one of your signature Irish fry ups Niall?” “Sure thing” Niall replied eagerly and proceeded to open other cupboards to locate essential additional items. Niall appeared familiar with the layout of the kitchen and Harry assumed this was not therefore his first time as a visitor to Louis’s house.

Louis popped himself up onto one of the kitchen work tops and Harry sat himself back down on the stool as they both watched Niall busy himself cooking.

“This is a lovely house” Harry ventured, if only to avoid an awkward silence.

“It’s Ok” Louis replied a little dispassionately, “it’s never really felt like home though, you know not like the house i grew up in with my mum and sisters”. 

“Where was that?” Harry asked.

“Doncaster” Louis replied sadly “a kind of dead northern town, but it was home” 

“Why don’t you live with your mum now?” Harry asked, immediately worrying that he had overstepped the mark, it was after all none of his business.

“Guess I thought my dad needed me more, my mum has my sisters and grandparents up there and all mum and dad’s mutual friends, who I suspect were really mum’s friends, dad is not the socialising type. I felt he needed me to look out for him, and that’s what I had been doing at first” Louis looked slightly perplexed then, as if just realising something. “I guess somewhere along the way though dad stopped needing me here, he has been going away more and more often and for longer periods of time with his business as it’s become more successful” Louis shrugged but then his face fell.

“Shit what if the crap going on outside is not just happening here? What if something has happened to mum and the girls back home?!!!” 

Louis leaped up and crossed the room grabbing the TV controller to change the feed over from the security to what Harry suspected was a satellite TV feed. He could only guess though as the screen was showing only a moving screen saver box declaring that there was “no input”. 

“Harry, have you still got a phone signal” he asked. Harry took the phone out of his pocket and checked it, shaking his head sadly “no I have lost signal now”. 

“Wait” Louis leapt off his seat, “My dad always records the 5.30pm news, says it’s better than the 10pm slot and he likes to watch it when he comes home from work. I wonder if today’s is on the recordings?” He picked the controller up again and pressed the green button to display the internal memory. Sure enough at the top of the list was a recording on the ITN Evening News, with that days date tag. “Bingo” Louis shouted, clicking the icon over the title.

They watched as the familiar news intros played and then they were presented with the grave faced news reader. “Good evening ladies and gentlemen, our main news headline tonight: Following the phenomena which lit up the UK skies earlier this evening, we have begun to receive reports from across the country of people becoming blinded.” The picture then left the news reader to be replaced by footage of a hospital with people in cars pulling up haphazardly outside and stumbling into the building with blood pouring from their eyes. The news reader’s voice spoke over the images stating “People are asked not to panic and should you start to experience symptoms of blindness please stay in your homes as the hospitals are at capacity, it is expected that these symptoms will be only temporary”

The camera then panned back to the newsreader who stated “News is just reaching us that the lights have now appeared over the skies of France and appear to be moving eastwards across mainland Europe”. At that moment the camera dropped away to the floor where a pool of blood appeared to be forming, and there was a pained cry before the feed switched to another camera and the news reader’s face was once again on screen. The presenter now looked distracted however and appeared to be looking at something happening off camera, before the programme cut off all together and the screen went blank.

“Shit” Louis voiced exactly what Harry was thinking, this did not look good and Harry was suddenly very worried for his own mother and sister. “I need to go find my mum, he said standing up suddenly”!

“No way” Louis grabbed Harry’s arm, holding tightly. You can’t just walk out there on your own, we need a plan. We will go look for your mum as soon as we can I promise, but for now we need to eat something and get some rest, while whatever madness going on out there calms down a bit.

Harry sighed and slumped back down onto the stool, he knew that Louis was right but the pressure in his chest at the thought of his mum or sister out there stumbling around blindly was too much to bear. He rested his head on his arms and tried to will the tears not to fall. 

“Hey it’s ok Harry” he heard Louis speaking gently from his left side and then felt a gentle stroke on his back. “Breath for me OK” Louis said and Harry realised his breathing had sped up and become shuddery again as if he was on the verge of another panic attack. He breathed deeply trying to time his breathing to the gentle strokes along his back. After about 5 minutes he felt able to look up and into the room again, just in time to see Niall placing three large plates of fried food in front of them on the table. “Mission feed ourselves up to prepare for action is on” Niall announced.

Harry managed to eat quite a lot considering the churning in his stomach, before finally pushing his plate away from him. He sat and watched the other two boys finish and then helped to clear the dishes away and into the dishwasher, which Louis directed him to hidden behind another of the smooth steel doors.

Louis had just switched the TV feed back to the security camera footage and it was once again moving from room to room every 30 seconds or so. While Harry watched the footage switched to what appeared to be a lounge, and Louis gasped. In the middle of the room the coffee table had been overturned and a vase of flowers lay broken on the floor. Louis stood up looking suddenly concerned and moved across to the kitchen door as if he intended to go investigate.

“Wait!!” shouted Harry quickly, you can’t go out there alone, what if someone’s out there? “I need to come with you, Niall can watch us on the security cameras and come offer back up if we need it, is that OK Niall?” 

Niall nodded and then asked “Louis can I control the feed I am watching on the monitor so I can track you?”

Louis nodded in return and picked up a tablet from on top of the worktops and pulled up a floor plan of the house, showing Niall how to click on the camera icons to select the image to view. He then methodically clicked on each of the icons in turn to check the rooms. On having seen no intruders and no other apparent anomalies other than in the lounge he looked calmer and seemed a bit happier with the plan of allowing Harry to accompany him into the house. “Ok Niall you watch us, and we will go check things out, right Harry?”

Harry nodded and walked over to Louis, following him through the door and into the corridor beyond.

 

******************************************************************************************************

Louis flicked the light switch on in the hallway so that he and Harry could see clearly along the corridor. He felt Harry tug gently on his sleeve and turned around. “Louis I think we should close the curtains in the rooms before we turn on the lights, we don’t want to attract attention from outside”.

Louis nodded, Harry had point. “Ok” he agreed “each room we come too I will go in first and close the curtains, you stay in the doorway and then when I give a signal you can turn on the light. I know where the furniture is so hopefully won’t stumble into anything in the dark”

Harry nodded with wide green eyes, and Louis felt again the urge to keep him safe that he had felt before in the dorms. There really was something incredibly endearing about this soft and slightly awkward boy.

“Come on” he urged, grabbing Harry by the hand telling himself it was to help guide Harry in the unfamiliar rooms and aid communication rather than because he enjoyed the feel of Harry’s large strong hands squeezing to indicate his trust.

Louis then moved along the corridor until they reached the first door, the music room. Louis squeezed Harry’s hand to indicate he was moving to the window and reminding him to stay where he was. Louis picked his way across the room, peering through the window to check for any signs of movement and then pulling the blinds closed once assured that all was quiet in the grounds. He whistled briefly to Harry and squinted his eyes shut as the lights flashed on. 

He noticed Harry looking wistfully over at the piano at the edge of the room. “Do you play?” he asked. Harry shook his head sadly “no mum does” he stated softly “but we had to sell our piano a few years ago. I really hope my mum and sister are Ok”. Louis crossed back to him and tooks his hand again, squeezing it to acknowledge his concern for his family. “Come on Harry, next room” he instructed leading him back out into the corridor, switching the light off as they left. 

They repeated the routine again in the next room, which was the dining room. This time Louis saw Harry’s eyes widen at the elaborate table settings. Louis’ father always set out to impress when he hosted business dinners and that was really the only time this room was used. 

On re-entering the corridor again, Louis warned Harry that the next room was the lounge, the room that they had viewed from the kitchen and the reason for their cautious scouting trip. As Louis entered the room and crossed toward the window he banged his shin hard on something and cursed “Shit that hurt!!”. He stumbled over to the window, pulling the heavy velvet curtain snugly across, and whistling to Harry for the lights.

On hearing the click of the lights Louis registered the scene in the room, the overturned coffee table, the cause of his earlier stumble and the inevitable bruising. The pile of the carpet appeared to be ruffled up and strangely there was an ashtray on the floor with a cigar butt stubbed into it. He bent down to examine this, his father did not smoke ever. “Someone else has been here?” he said to Harry biting on his lip. “Wait here” he instructed as he crossed the room to the connecting door that opened into his father’s study. 

Having closed the blinds he flicked on the light. The room was as ordered as ever, however the top drawer of the four drawer cabinet where his father stores his designs and patents is open and empty. This is really odd as the cabinet is always kept locked and Louis is pretty sure that the key is hidden in a place only his father knows. Looking over to the desk Harry notices an envelope propped against the computer monitor with his name written on the front in large front.

Louis picked the letter up and moved back into the lounge, where he sits on the sofa whilst he opens it. He feels the sofa dip down as Harry quietly comes to sit next to him and Louis automatically angles the letter so that Harry can see to read it with him. The note is brief and appears hastily written, it states:

Louis

Where are you? I asked you to come home straight from school at 3pm. I waited as long as I could, but i have to go now! 

When you get home, call me on my work number 02 4537 284736, close the curtains and whatever you do not look at the lights in the sky. I will send someone to pick you up, wait in the panic room and do not let anyone you do not recognise into the house. Things are going to be really dangerous soon. Be careful, and don’t tell anyone about this letter. See you soon.

Dad.

“What the hell?” Louis exclaims, “My Dad knew about the lights? And what does he mean about sending someone to pick me up? And how can i phone him when the phones are down?”

Louis feels Harry take his hand and squeeze it again, softly whispering “I don’t know Louis.”

Louis could feel his head spinning and his ears filling up with white noise. As if it wasn’t bad enough that the world he knew seemed to be crumbling around him, it seems now as if his father knew something about what was going on. Had he written the letter warning against looking at the lights before they had appeared, or only after the reports of blindness started to hit the news? More to the point why had his father asked him to call on a landline number rather than the mobile number he always used? Had the mobile network already gone down, or had his father been alerted to the fact that it would? Why was he waiting at home for Louis at the end of a school day when he was due to be going on a business trip that lunchtime?

There were too many questions and his head hurt and he had a terrible apprehensive feeling building up in the pit of his stomach, Dad what have you done?

“Should we finish checking the other rooms out?” he heard Harry suggest tentatively.

Louis turned to Harry, grateful for the distraction to his dark turn of thought. “Yes, I don’t like the fact that someone else has been here and I would very much like to be sure we are on our own now.” he stated, realising that his house may not have been quite the place of safety he had assured the other lads it was.

“Someone else?” Harry enquired, looking suddenly jittery.

Louis pointed at the ashtray on the floor in front of him and said simply “My dad very definitely does not smoke!”

Louis moved back across to the door and Harry followed. They resumed their methodical room by room check, each time Louis ensuring the windows were covered before Harry clicked on the lights. They found no more signs of anything out of the ordinary, until they reached Louis’s father’s room. This time when Harry switched on the light Louis noted that the closet doors were open and that some of his father’s clothing was missing, mostly his work clothes which he guessed was in keeping with his going on a business trip. However, the fact the doors had been left open and the slightly disrupted appearance of the clothes that remained on the shelves, left Louis with the impression the packing had been hastily undertaken.

The last room they checked was Louis’s own bedroom, and Louis was a little embarrassed when the lights came on and the room looked much as he had left it, clothes in strewn in several heaps on the floor and dirty cups and plates piled on surfaces. “Um” he heard Harry say quizzically as if he was about to ask whether this room had been overturned by some intruder or else always looked like this. “I know, I am a messy pig” Louis pre-empted hoping to lighten the mood a little. “Oh” he heard Harry respond and then politely “It’s a really nice room Louis”. Louis chuckled at that, “yes i suppose it is, although it’s never felt home as much as the room I shared with my eldest sister back in Doncaster”. 

“I hope you weren’t this messy when you were sharing.” he heard Harry state cheekily and somehow despite everything Louis found himself grinning slightly.

“There’s one more place to check” Louis informed Harry, “but we need to go pick up Niall first, we won’t need him for look out for this one”. 

Louis led the way out of his room and back toward the kitchen taking the direct route this time, now that he was assured the house was indeed empty of anyone but themselves.

Once back in the kitchen and faced with a relieved looking Niall, they quickly de-briefed him on what they had discovered. “So Dad says we should wait in the safe room and I think that’s a good idea for tonight” Louis concluded, no one can get in there and we can at least get some sleep perhaps”

“So where is the safe room?” Harry asked.

Louis walked over to one of the many floor to ceiling units in the kitchen and placed his palm flat on the security lock, which to anyone who did not know would look just like an ice dispenser. The square of metal around his hand lit up and the panel began moving upwards into the ceiling, revealing a further door with a number pad identical to the one at the bottom of the stairs from the parking bays. Louis tapped in the code number and open the door, beckoning the two boys to follow him in quickly as the lights flickered on, he was aware the door was on a timing mechanism.

Louis’s eyes quickly scanned the room as he entered. There were two bunks at the side, a large comfortable sofa in the middle, as Louis’s Dad was always one to promote comfort even in adversity. Louis knew that there was a box of DVD movies to watch on the TV as the wifi did not extend through to this room to enable streaming of TV as elsewhere in the house. The room itself had a seperate generator providing electricity and running ventilation directly from outside of the house. The idea being that once inside the room nothing that might happen in the external house could get into the inhabitants, in theory the house could even burn down around them and they would be ok. Not a theory Louis would like to test out though!

He walked over to the desk which housed the computer as he heard the security door swing closed behind Niall and Harry. He flicked on the computer, bringing up the security camera feeds for the wider house. 

“Make yourself at home lads, I think there is beer in the fridge.” Louis pointed over to the bottom of the bunks where there was a large chest freezer and an upright fridge. Everything one might need for a siege! 

Niall had reached the fridge, never one to dither at the suggestion of a beer and he was tossing a can in Louis’ direction. Louis plucked it out of the air and pulled the ring to open it. Harry, he noted, had not been quite so successful and was now laying on his stomach trying to retrieve the can from under the sofa, where it had rolled when he had totally failed to catch it. 

“You boys can take the bunks” Louis suggested, “I am smaller so the sofa will be fine for me”. He plonked himself down on the sofa and looked toward the TV screen and box of DVDs. “Anyone fancy distracting themselves by watching a film? Not sci-fi or horror though” he added quickly.

Niall and Harry nodded and joined him in collapsing onto the sofa. After some debate they opted for a comedy classic, The Princess Bride. About 30 minutes in Louis began to feel his eyelids getting heavy, he rested his head down onto the arm of the sofa and brought his feet up onto the cushions, keeping them scrunched up so as not to kick Harry who was two cushions along on the sofa. However he soon felt Harry gently lifting his feet up and placing them over his lap. “You’ll get pins and needles cramped up like that” he stated softly by way of explanation.

******************************************************************************************

Louis was woken up by the sound of an alarm blaring in the room. He sat up quickly, noticing Niall doing the same in the bottom bunk, and Harry stirring on the sofa, where it seems he had also drifted off. 

“That’s the intruder alarm” he informed Niall. “Means someone is in the grounds somewhere.” He got up quickly and crossed to the computer screen flicking from image to image until he spotted a shadowy figure crossing the grounds outside and approaching the front door.

On arriving at the front door the intruder pressed the intercom causing the speaker on the computer to crackle to life. “Louis are you there?” a familiar voice asked as the figure looked up directly into the security camera at the door.

“Zayn?” Louis replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is Zayn. 
> 
> I hope the chapter was not too disjointed and some of you might come back to see what happens next


	4. The Purge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning there is some violence in this chapter - but not really graphic

Chapter 4 - The Purge

The face looking up at the camera is young, late teens at most and even though the light outside is poor Harry can make out that he is very attractive. For a minute he feels anxious that this might be Louis’s boyfriend or something. But the confusion evident on Louis’s face at seeing the lad outside suggests to him that this is not someone he was expecting to see here.  
“Christ Zayn, what are you doing out there?” Harry hears Louis click down on a button and sees the front door swing open on camera before Louis says firmly “get the Fuck in here it’s not safe out there and I don’t want you bringing some god damn alien army down on us!” 

Zayn slips through the open door and disappears from the camera feed as Louis turns to Harry and Niall, confusion still noticeable on his face. “Zayn is an apprentice from dad’s company, I have met him a couple of times when he has dropped papers off or been here for business lunches. I need to go out there to see him” he says nodding toward the safe room door, “but I don’t want him to know you guys are here just yet, something isn’t right and I need to know why he’s here first. I will bring him into the kitchen, the cameras there also have an audio feed so you can listen in and come help me if I call you”.

Harry is not comfortable with Louis going out there on his own, and he tries to indicate that by grabbing ahold of his sleeve as he moves toward the door. Louis turns around to him, seeming to pick up on his anxiety and gently rests his hand over Harry’s where it’s gripping his arm. Giving his hand a gentle squeeze he tries to reassure Harry, “Zayn’s harmless Harry I will be OK I promise”.

Harry is not convinced but he reluctantly loosens his grip on Louis, and with one final squeeze of his hand Louis moves away and presses the red button next to the door. The door makes a swishing noise and begins to lift. Louis ducks down to exit and shouts back, press the button to close the door as soon as I am through, and then he’s gone. Harry obediently runs forward and pushes the button, biting his lip as he sees the door begin to descend once more.

Once the door has sealed back down to the floor Harry turns around to see that Niall has switched the camera view through to the kitchen, where Louis is currently standing alone. Niall presses the speaker icon on the screen in time to hear Louis’s voice calling out to Zayn to tell him he is in the kitchen. It only takes a few seconds more before Louis is joined on screen by Zayn. The lighting is better in the kitchen and Harry can get a better look at the fourth man, he has a dark complexion and large brown eyes, he is approaching Louis slowly with his arms out to the sides, indicating peaceful intent. Even so Harry hopes he does not get much closer to Louis, this just does not feel right.

“What are you doing here Zayn?” Louis is asking. 

“Your dad sent me to see if you had come home” Zayn replied as if it was just a usual day outside and popping out on an errand for his boss was to be expected.

“On your own? By foot? Out there?!!!” Louis exclaimed, clearly on the same page as Harry here.

“Um no actually” replied Zayn looking slightly uncomfortable “I um had a security escort and came by armoured car”.  
“A what, and by what?” Louis asked a note of incredulousness in his voice.

Harry hears Niall curse, “Shit Harry do you think anyone else followed Zayn in the front door, we switched cameras before we checked that the door closed!” 

Harry felt a cold realisation sink in, they had not checked and if they switched the feed now they would be taking eyes off Louis and leaving him at risk. But not looking left him at risk too. “Can we keep the kitchen audio feed while we switch visual feed he asked? 

“I don’t know” Niall considers “I will try”

Harry could see from the screen that Louis and Zayn had now sat down at the kitchen table. Zayn’s face looking earnest as he explains to Louis why he was there. “Your dad is helping the military in their response to what’s happening out there. They need his lazer and drone tech, he’s safe at a rallying point they have set up at the RAF base, but he was worried about you, the military wouldn’t let him wait until you got home before he left. He talked them into sending an armoured unit to look for you, but Liam suggested that it would be better if it was just me and him and a small armoured car, less conspicuous and also better that it was someone you know. You dad said that you would be in a safe room and unlikely to come out for someone you didn’t know” 

Just then the image on screen flashed over to the front entrance way, and Harry felt a cold chill down his spine as he realised that the front door appeared to have been propped open. “Shit” Niall muttered as he found the camera feed for the hallway outside the kitchen and flicked the the feed over to it. 

Sure enough there was a figure in combat fatigues making his way slowly up the hallway toward the kitchen. He was armed with a large gun that looked capable of causing significant damage and he carried himself in a way that suggested he would not hesitate to fire at any threat he encountered! They had to warn Louis!!

Just then they heard Louis’s voice come back over the audio feed asking slowly “And what it I think it’s safer to stay here than come with you and some unknown soldier boy type to a military base?” Zayn’s voice sounded a little shaky as he replied in hushed tones “Um I think Liam has orders to bring you back willing or not”.

Soldier boy has now reached the kitchen and has halted just out of sight, on hearing Louis’s potential reluctance he is slowly releasing the safety catch on the gun and that’s it Harry cannot leave Louis out there on his own. Before Niall can stop him he rushes over to the door pressing the button to open it, and rolling under it as soon as he can.

That’s as far as his plan has been thought out, as Harry realises when he rolls into the kitchen totally unarmed and lying helpless on the floor. Louis and Zayn have both jumped up and are looking at him with alarm.

“Harry!” Louis scolds, “I told you to stay put!”

Harry signals breathlessly toward the door managing to splutter out the words “soldier” and “gun” before his warning is rendered useless by the appearance of the man himself in the doorway with the gun levelled directly at Louis. He looks like he’s going to shoot and Harry can’t have that so he launches himself up thinking to push Louis to safety. The loud bang and flash of excruciating pain that hits his thigh directly after confirm to Harry’s spinning head that this was not a good plan before he slumps to the floor. He vaguely hears Louis’s panic laced voice calling his name before everything goes black.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry has been shot! Innocent wouldn’t hurt a fly Harry has been shot! 

Louis screams his name out before turning to the gun toting figure who has just entered his kitchen and shouting at him “You shot him!!! He wasn’t armed!!! He’s just a kid!!!!” 

The soldier looks shaken and has turned a ghostly shade of white. “I thought he was attacking Zayn” he mumbled “I thought he was one of them, one of the purged!”.

Louis doesn’t really register what he’s saying as he is running over to Harry, he looks like he’s unconscious and there is a pool of blood spreading from his leg. “Harry? Harry? He shouts shaking him by the shoulder. He’s breathing but there is a lot of blood, the bullet might have hit an artery. “He’s bleeding out, help him!” Louis implores of the soldier who is still standing exactly where he was when he fired the shot, mouth open. 

He seems to gather himself then and shouts “put pressure on the wound, I have a first aid kit in the van outside I will go get it” and with that he turns and runs from the room. 

Zayn kneels down next to Louis passing him a tea towel and Louis quickly presses it against Harry’s thigh with shaking hands. 

He’s aware of a scuffling noise as Niall comes through the still partially open safe room door pointing a shaky gun at Zayn! “He fucking shot him, your fucking soldier boy friend shot Harry!”

Zayn jumps back raising his hands in the air.

Louis knows he has to stop this, if the soldier comes back and sees Niall with a gunm he’s likely to shoot him too. “Niall put the gun down please, I can’t have you shot too. Help me take Harry into the safe room and put him on the sofa”.

Niall appeared torn for a moment before ducking into the safe room, presumably to hide the gun back where he found it, because when he comes back out a few moments later he is unarmed. Zayn lowers his arms in relief and moves back over to Harry, gesturing to Louis to indicate that he will help carry him into the room. 

Louis shakes his head, “we can manage, you’ve done enough already” his voice is laced with venom. “You wait here for your soldier friend and direct him in to us with the first aid kit”

“Liam’s my security escort not my friend” he mutters. Louis rolls his eyes “Whatever!”

Louis pushes Harry’s legs together so that he can lift them whilst keeping the pressure on the wound and gestures to Niall to lift his torso from under his arms. With some difficulty they manage to half lift half drag Harry under the security door, back into the safe room and up onto the sofa.

Louis puts pressure back on the wound on Harry’s leg, noting with concern the fact that the flow of blood is not easing. He presses his free hand to Harry’s forehead, it feels cold and clammy and Louis thinks that can’t be good. 

Just then he hears voices by the door and then Liam and Zayn appear in the doorway. 

Liam is pointing his gun in Louis and Niall’s direction but he looks torn. “Look I need both my hands to help your friend, but I cannot do that if I am holding a gun. If I put the gun down do you promise not to attack me or run off?” He asks the two boys.

Without hesitation Louis responds “yes, just help him for God’s sake!” Liam puts the safety on to the gun and slings it over his shoulder before moving quickly toward Harry. Louis notices that in his other hand Liam is carrying a green case with a white cross. 

When he reaches Harry, Liam opens the case and takens out a small pair of scissors which he uses to cut through the fabric of Harry’s joggers, exposing his thigh and the deep looking wound embedded there. “OK” Liam says “first i need to get the bullet out of there, then we stem the bleeding, clean the wound and I can stitch it up.” He makes it sound simple but Louis notices his voice is shaking. “Have you done this before?” Louis asked his own voice laced with doubt. “Well we learnt the theory in Batterfield First Aid class” he replies “but no I haven’t actually tested the theory out in practice. 

Louis feels his heart sink, and for a moment he is torn as to whether to allow Liam to go ahead, but ultimately theoretical knowledge is better than no knowledge. “What can I do to help?” he asks.

“Well if you could find some vodka to clean the wound that would help, and also this might really hurt so I need someone to hold him down if he wakes up, um what’s his name?” Liam asks. 

“It’s Harry” Louis states “Niall can you go find Vodka - there will be some in Dad’s study, you know where that is? Just off the Lounge?”

“Sure” says Niall and immediately races off on his mission.

“I will help with Harry” Louis says, taking his hand and squeezing. 

“Ok, Harry is it? Liam says, looking at Harry, “I don’t know if you can hear me but i am going to try and help you, which means I need to get the bullet out of your leg and that will hurt so I am sorry”

Liam then rummages around in the First Aid Kit and finds what looks like a large pair of tweezers. “Ok he says I am going to try to find the bullet, when I say can you move your hand from the wound and hold Harry still by his hips please.” 

Louis nods and Liam shouts “now”. Louis slides his hands to lie one on each of Harry’s hips and Liam bends down over the wound appearing to be concentrating heavily, while blood continues to flow freely. “There’s too much blood, I can’t see anything” Liam states in frustration just as Niall comes running back into the room brandishing a full litre bottle of vodka. “Pass that here please” says Liam. He takes the bottle and unscrews the top, quickly pouring some of the clear liquid into the wound.

Harry’s eyes spring open at that and he screams out in pain. Louis keeps a firm pressure on his hips as he tries to reassure him. “SSsh it’s OK Harry the pain will go soon”. “Here” Liam passes the vodka over to Louis “Help him to drink this while I find the bullet, it might help”. Louis took the bottle, “Harry can you hold it, so that I can hold you still?” Harry doesn’t answer, he looks spaced out. “I will hold Harry down” Niall suggests you help him with the vodka Louis”. They shuffle around to take up their adjusted positions and Louis positions the neck of the bottle on Harry’s lips. “Can you drink for me Harry” he asks. This time Harry nods slightly and then partially opens his mouth. Louis tips the bottle up a little and waits for Harry to swallow before tipping it again. 

“Alright, hold him tight I am going for the bullet” Liam says, gritting his teeth and bending over Harry’s leg. Harry lets out a high pitched scream before appearing to black out again. “Got it Liam shouts” as he brandishes a bloody looking lump in the air. He gestures toward the vodka again and Louis passes the bottle back. Liam who tips the bottle over Harry’s thigh and pours generous amounts into the wound. This seems to stem the bleeding a little and then Liam is rummaging in the First Aid Kit again. He pulls out a large needle and some surgical thread and sets about pinching the skin around the wound together so that he can sew it up.

As Liam sets about the task of closing the wound, Louis gently strokes his fingers through Harry’s hair in what he hopes might be a soothing way. Harry however, is still out of it, which is probably for the best. When Liam finishes sewing he takes a dressing pack out of the kit and neatly bandages Harry’s thigh.

“OK hopefully that will stop the bleeding, he needs to keep weight off that leg for a fair while though he states” 

Louis gently lifts Harry’s head up from the sofa and shuffles underneath him so that Harry is laying with his head in Louis lap. He strokes Harry’s curls gently as he turns to Liam and asks harshly. “OK would you please explain what’s going on here please? What’s happened out there and why is an armed soldier supposedly here to escort me to my Dad?”

Liam sighed and sat down on the arm of the sofa, with Niall and Zayn also making themselves comfortable sitting on cushions on the floor. “Ok so I am only a lowly soldier” Liam begins “I am not subject to hearing all strategic details, I just get the orders and follow them, so there are definitely gaps in my knowledge too. But I do know that last night the planet was attacked whether by a foreign or alien force or by a force of nature I don’t know but lights appeared in the sky for a about an hour, didn’t you guys see them?” 

“Sleeping off a hangover” Niall responded pointing to himself and Louis 

“Harry said he was in the university dark room” Louis volunteered. 

“ Ah well that explains it then” Liam commented “anyway the lights had appeared in Greenland first and when looking at them resulted in blindness, the news must have been conveyed more widely to the UN, World Health Organisation etc. The news must have reached the military before the lights hit our skies, there was enough time to get the enlisted staff off of the streets and away from the lights, but not enough time to get a message out to the public” 

This sounded odd to Louis, “But the news channels were broadcasting about the lights, could they not have been contacted to put out a warning?” Liam looked a little uncomfortable at that challenge “like I said I don’t know all the facts, perhaps the military tried to make that happen but freedom of press you know” Louis still feels that does not sit right but he nods slightly as he wants Liam to carry on sharing what he does know.

“So anyway, the lights stayed for about an hour, but when they went out people who had seen them began to behave erratically, shouting and being violent before, they started bleeding from the eyes, and lost their sight. It seems that it’s not just the blindness, those affected also seem be displaying signs of insanity”

“What about the drones?” Louis asked “Where are they from we saw them attack affected students in the university. They blew them to pieces. Is that part of the attack?”

“Um no” Zayn spoke up, “those are Drones from our company and we don’t know who is controlling them.” 

“The Drones actually appeared before the lights” Liam supplied “but they just hovered there, I think that’s probably why your Dad was called into the base in the first place, to see if he knew anything” Liam added “He didn’t but he has promised to help us get to the bottom of it, providing we picked his family up and being them safely to the base”

Louis thinks back to the letter he had found earlier in the day suggesting his Dad already knew the lights were dangerous and had warned them not to look. Maybe the military had told him when they had picked him up and that’s when he had written the note? However something told him not to mention the letter to Liam all the same.

“So anyway Zayn has been at the base helping your Dad and agreed to come with me to pick you up as a face you know so you wouldn’t be spooked” Liam continued

“Well surprise! The fact you shot my friend with your very large gun spooked me somewhat Liam” Louis cannot resist telling him snarkily. 

“So what now?” Louis asks as Liam’s briefing on what is happening in the outside world appears to have come to an end.

Liam looks even more awkward now, “Erm well we did not expect you to be with others and my instructions are only to bring you back, we can’t just bring anyone back to the base”

“Well I am not leaving Harry here wounded and I do not go anywhere without my wingman Niall so I think we have a problem” Louis responds.

“The problem might be worse than you might think” Liam says slowly “I had not got around to telling you about the latest I have found out about the drones. Just after the lights disappeared and before we got notified that that the drones had started attacking people the military apparently received an encrypted message telling them that the lights and blindness, were only the start. The message called it The Purge, and stated that the affected would be eliminated if they ventured out onto the streets. The message said that the planet had reached a point where it was no longer viable and that the only option was to purge away the waste. 

Louis felt a chill down his spine at that information, and was slightly incredulous that Liam had left that part out of his narrative until now.

I only know that part as your father told me and Zayn before we left, I haven’t heard it from anyone else, definitely not my commanders. Your father said he had been interrogated about the message when it came in and he wanted us to know about it so we could keep you safe and away from the drones when we brought you back to the base.” 

“Well it seems to me that we all need to get to that base of yours” Louis states as if he has reached a decision. “But Harry here cannot walk, how long do you think he needs to rest up his leg?” 

“Well” Liam says thoughtfully “right now walking on it would open up the wound and make it bleed out again, so not advisable. If we give it two or three days the wound would have begun to heal but it’s still going to hurt like hell and he will need painkillers stronger than I have in my kit if he’s going to be able to walk on it” 

“Ok but you have the armoured car right?” Louis queried

“Yes it’s parked just down the street” Liam confirmed

“OK so can you pull it into our underground parking so we could carry Harry into it?” Louis asks.

“I can yes, but with those drones out there I think we take a huge risk with Harry if we take him when he can’t weight bear at all. If we are attacked and have to abandon the vehicle we will have to leave Harry too”

“Well that ain’t happening” Niall stated suddenly “The kids depending on us” he said looking at Louis.

“I agree” said Louis “But also I think we need to get Harry to somewhere he can get proper medical attention before his wound gets infected. I think we need to rest here for a couple of days. The safe room is still comparatively safe. While Harry rests here soldier boy and I need to go out there, pick up the armoured car and see if we can find some pain relief to help Harry weight bear if he needs to on our journey to the base.”

Liam seems to consider this proposal for a few minutes before nodding “I think that could work, but when we are out there Louis you need to do exactly as I say OK, remember I am the one with military training” 

Louis considers then nods “Roger that he says with a mocking salute”

Liam rolls his eyes. “We will go out tomorrow, today let’s get some rest and some food. I notice you have security cameras can you show me the feed for them so I can keep an eye out for trouble?” Sure says Louis pointing at the computer monitor in the corner of the room.

“Zayn you can come help me rustle up some food in the kitchen” Niall stated getting up and beckoning Zayn to follow.

This left Louis with Harry as his sole focus, he stared down at his pale face with concern and gently scraped the stray strands of hair back into the hair-band that was holding his bun in place. As he was doing that Harry’s eyes blinked open and he was looking into the pools of green. Harry’s eyes were bright but he could see the pain in them clearly.

“Hey Harry you back with us?” Louis asked gently.


	5. Separation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry is in pain, Louis needs to help him.

Chapter 5 - Separation

The first thing Harry registers on opening his eyes is the intense blue of Louis concerned stare, but it’s literally only a split second before a burning pain in his thigh takes over as the sole focus of his attention. It’s like nothing he has ever felt before, if someone had ever stabbed him with a red hot poker he thinks it would feel like that, an intense burning pain in his thigh generating dagger sharp spasms of pain up and down his leg.

He feels tears begin to well up in his eyes as he manages to focus back on Louis, “it hurts so bad” he whispers out through gritted teeth. 

Louis looks torn and Harry can feel a haze of blackness rising up again as if the pain is once again driving him to lose consciousness. He can just make out Louis’s voice calling for Liam as he sinks back into oblivion.

The next thing Harry is aware of is raised voices in the blackness, cutting across the intense pain that is once again rising up in his consciousness. 

“You did this to him, the least you can do it help him with the pain” it was Louis’s voice and he sounds off, like he’s angry or, was it panic? 

“I’m sorry OK, I am trying” Harry did not recognise this voice, it must be either Zayn or the soldier. Oh yes that’s right the soldier who shot him!!! That pain that’s a bullet! Harry’s suddenly panicking, and gasping for breath, is he dying, is that why it’s so dark?. Harry blinks his eyes open! Oh that explains the dark! 

The light hurts his eyes and his thigh is literally on fire, he feels a gentle pressure on the top of his head it’s a nice pressure not like the pain in his leg. He tries to focus on his head and determines through his fuzziness that someone is running their hand gently through his hair as if trying to calm him. He makes a real effort to focus and there are those piercing blue eyes again! He is laying with his head in Louis’ lap and Louis is stroking his hair. This would be wonderful if it wasn’t for the burning pain in his thigh. He whimpers.

“Sssh” Louis says in his beautiful voice “Harry love, Liam has gone to get you something for the pain from his first aid kit, he got the bullet out, you’re going to be ok” 

Harry knows Louis is trying to reassure him but the pain is just so bad, part of him wants to not be ok, to just fade away. Just then he hears hurried footsteps and then a pair of big brown eyes are hovering over him, blocking out Louis.

“Harry can you swallow for me? It’s only codeine but it will help a bit” It’s the soldier, this must be Liam and it seems like Louis trusts him to help, so Harry opens his mouth and allows Liam to place a capsule on his tongue. He then opens his mouth to receive a sip of water from the glass that is tipped towards his lips, and with an effort he swallows hard. This is repeated for a second capsule and god Harry hopes that this works because he doesn’t think he can bear this much longer.

“Can he have a drink with that? Will alcohol help” he hears Louis ask. 

“I don’t know if it will help but I don’t think it will hurt” the second voice responds, then Louis is calling Niall to fetch vodka from the dining room and he hears the stomping of a third person running from the room. 

“Harry look at me” Louis says and Harry manages to bring his eyes up to look into the pools of blue that are looking down at him. “Niall’s gone to get you some vodka but try breathing with me, I know it helps when I get injured at football.” 

Louis takes a deep breath and blows out slowly and Harry tries to join him next time he breathes in … then out … in…… out ….. 

The pain’s still there but the breathing is giving him something else to focus on and it does help. They keep it up for a minute, maybe two and Harry is starting to feel the tension in his body easing slightly. Then he hears Niall racing back into the room brandishing a bottle of clear liquid.

“Harry can you sit up if you lean against me?” Louis asks him. Harry thinks he can, and so gives a small nod, although he is not sure how he’s going to lift himself up. He realises that Louis has a plan for that when he feels Louis take a firm grip under each of his armpits. “OK on the count of three I am going to pull you up” he says gently “1, 2, 3” Harry feels his shoulders lift before the burning heat in his leg makes him scream out and almost blackout again.

“Sorry, sorry” he hears Louis say anxiously. Harry feels Louis’s arms slipping around his chest, pulling his back into him, as the burning pain dies down again. It’s still a hot pain but its bearable and Harry can breath again. He tries to school his breathing once more. They sit quietly for a couple of minutes while Harry controls his breathing then Louis offers Harry the vodka bottle, he’s removed the cap and is just holding it up to Harry’s lips.

“Here this will help and Liam says it won’t affect the pain meds” Louis says in a reassuring tone. Harry nods and opens his mouth, allowing Louis to tip in a small amount and then swallowing. He almost coughs it back up as it burns into his throat but then he feels himself start to relax a bit, and opens his mouth for another sip. 

About 10 sips later and Harry is feeling better, the pain’s still there but bearable and his head feels fuzzy in a warm and comfortable way. He leans back into Louis’ warm chest and closes his eyes sighing lightly and listening to the conversation of the other boys.

Louis is discussing sleeping arrangements. “I think we should stay in the safe room” he says “It’s secure so we can all sleep without anyone needing to keep watch, but there is only the sofa and two bunks. I will stay here with Harry the sofa is big enough for two and I don’t want to move Harry right now when he’s just got a bit comfortable. Is that Ok?” Louis seems to be asking Harry so he hums quietly and nods his head in response. It’s actually more than ok and Harry really does not want Louis to leave him on the couch on his own.

“I can share the bottom bunk with Liam.” it’s Zayn speaking now Harry thinks “it’s big enough for two”. Harry opens his eyes to look over toward Liam, he looks a little flustered but appears to be nodding. 

“Nice one” comes Niall’s cheery voice “that means I get the top bunk all to meself!” 

Harry closes his eyes again and listens to the sounds of the other boys running around making preparations to secure the safe room for the night so they can sleep. 

He hears a rustling noise and then Niall informing everyone that he has fetched some drinks and snacks from kitchen, followed by the general sounds of distribution of said snacks and words of thanks. Louis squeezes his chest lightly where he is still holding him upright and asks if he wants something to eat. He really doesn’t as he thinks he will be sick but he does fancy a sugary drink and says so. Before long he feels Louis pressing a cool can against his lips as he helps him to swallow down some full sugar coke.

“In the morning we are going to go find you some proper pain meds Harry” he reassures “and some antibiotics to stop infection. Zayn and Niall will stay here with you I am going with Liam”

Part of Harry wants to tell Louis not to go, that’s it’s too risky, but he knows he need the meds, doesn’t think he can walk or even move much at all unless he has them. He needs to move, he needs to be able to go check on his mum and sister! It suddenly strikes him that he is in no state to be able to help his mum and sister if they need him and he is dependent on this group of people who he doesn’t really know to keep him safe. He’s so fucked. He is suddenly aware that his eyes are filling with water and he fights back a sob.

Louis arms go tense around him “what’s wrong Harry, is it the pain again?” he hears him ask. Harry doesn’t know how to put it into words, or even if he should show his vulnerability so clearly so he settles for saying “I have to check on my mum, I... I h... have to know if…” and then he does break down into loud gasping sobs.

“Give me their address” Louis says” me and Liam can go check on them for you tomorrow when we go get the drugs”. 

“No Louis” Liam exclaims the drug run is dangerous enough without wandering into the homes of those who might be, erm might have been affected by the lights, we just don’t know how they might react!”

“They are Harry’s family not random people Liam and if it was me I could not go to a place of safety myself without checking on my family if I could” he says.

“He doesn’t have to come, to the base with us, he could stay here and rest up. You said yourself the safe room is well stocked and secure and it’s got a generator”

Harry feels Louis grip tighten again. “I don’t want to stay on my own” Harry states weakly.

“I am not leaving anyone behind” Louis states decisively “we are a team now and if one of us leaves we all go Liam so do not ask me to chose because if you do you and Zayn will be going back to the base without me”.

Liam sighs “OK Harry where do your family live and is there a Pharmacy nearby”

It turns out that on the estate where Harry’s family live there is a health centre with a dispensing pharmacy that will have controlled drugs as they run a drug user’s clinic from there every Thursday. So it’s agreed that Louis and Liam will head out in the morning in search of pain relief, antibiotics and Harry’s family. 

Harry is so anxious he fears he won’t be able to sleep, what if Louis and Liam return with bad news? Is not knowing better than wishing he didn’t know? Deep down though he knows he has to let Louis and Liam do this, he has to ensure his family gets help if they need it, he can’t bear the thought of them being blind, scared and alone and Harry not going to them, of them wondering why, of them fearing for Harry’s safety. No he needs to know.

The other boys are going to bed and hushed voices become more and more hushed and then the sound of deep breaths. He knows Louis is still awake as he can feel his hands firm still against his chest. “Louis I don’t think I can sleep.” he ventures.

“Harry you need to, you need to heal” Louis says softly. “Here have a bit more vodka” he continues bringing the bottle to Harry’s lips. Harry gulps some down wanting to feel the light headed slightly removed feeling he had earlier after the vodka. 

It takes 5 or 6 large chugs before he is starting to feel a little spacey. Louis must feel the tension leaving his body, softening in his arms, because he suggests they move to lie down. 

Harry braces himself for the burning stab of pain that he knows will come with movement but nods as he is suddenly very tired. Louis counts down again and then eases both of them into a horizontal position on the couch. Louis still had his arms wrapped around Harry and is lying partially under him. The pain of movement had been just as bad but Harry knows breathing through it will help and he manages to come out of the other side of the intolerable pain more quickly this time. 

“Are you OK” Louis asks softly. “Mmm hmmm” Harry replies and that’s all he remembers before everything fades into the soft grey of sleep.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Louis wakes up with the weight of Harry’s body still pressed up against his chest. He can feel the rise and fall of Harry’s chest as he breathes easily in his sleep. He is grateful that Harry has got some sleep, he had been so worried about him yesterday. Even though he had barely interacted with Harry before this mess started he had noticed him in college and appreciated his cute innocence. But now knowing Harry a bit better he feels really protective of him, the innocence seems genuine and Louis kind of wants to make sure he stays the same boy. Him having been shot is not helping that case scenario and what makes it worse is that Louis knows that Harry was only shot because he was trying to protect him.

When Harry had asked him to check on his family last night he had at first been reluctant, but when he had seen how upset Harry was he had known he absolutely had to go check things out for him. If his family were so close he absolutely would have to check on them. 

He thinks of his mum and his sisters up in Doncaster going through this mess without him and a lump forms in his throat. He has to hope that his dad has had help sent to them too and that they are OK. 

His anxiety turns it attention back to his own plans for today. Harry’s family lives in a really rough part of town, known for gangs and violence at the best of times. He wouldn’t normally go there for any reason but now he is planning to go when there are likely to be no police or authorities around to moderate the gangs’ activities and his only protection is a soldier who appears no older than he is and, if he’s honest, also seems a little trigger happy.

He can’t let Harry down though, so he gently tries to ease himself out from under the boy’s weight without waking him. That doesn’t go so well as the first movement Harry makes leads him to scream out in pain again.

“Sorry! sorry!” Louis says desperately, feeling like a total prick for causing the pain, could he not have been more gentle?!? Louis breaths with Harry again to try and calm him, and while he is doing so Louis hears Liam get up out of bed, whispering something Louis to Zayn that Louis can’t quite catch. Once up Liam begins rummaging around in the first aid kit and then brings over some more codeine tablets and some water. 

Louis takes the tablets from Liam and helps Harry swallow them down, passing him the water bottle to sip from until he has had enough to drink and gently turns his mouth away. 

“Harry I need to move you love” he states sadly “Do you need more vodka for the pain before I do?”

Harry is shaking his head with a grimace now appearing on his face. So Louis says “OK I am going to count to 3 and then quickly slip out from under you ok?” Harry nods and Louis counts “1, 2, 3” then as quickly as he can he lifts Harry, extracts himself and lowers Harry back onto the sofa. 

Harry is whimpering but not screaming so that is something. Louis still holds his hand while they breath together again until a loosening in Harry’s brow suggests the pain is manageable once more. 

Louis notices then that the door to the kitchen is open, and giving Harry’s hand a gentle squeeze he gets up to exit the room and see what’s going on.

He finds Niall cooking up another of his infamous breakfasts. “You can’t go out there with an empty stomach he states”. 

“I am not sure a full stomach will help if we come across a gun toting gang, or those drones decide to use us for target practice” Louis says. He feels able to be honest about how scared he really is when talking to Niall and in turn Niall’s face turns more serious. “Please be careful Louis” he says, then looking at Liam, who is just entering the kitchen, he says “You better keep him safe OK”. 

“It’s him who is insisting on going to the roughest part of town” Liam says grumpily, but when Niall sends him a dagger fueled look he crumbles a little and says “I’ll keep him safe, I need you to keep Zayn and Harry safe this end though. Harry is injured and Zayn is just no fighter. Make sure you all stay in the safe room and do not open the door for anyone except us. We should not be more than a couple of hours out there.”

“OK” Niall says, “first we eat then, when you go, I will lock the safe room door and watch on the monitor for you to come back. Are you coming back through the front door or driving into the underground area?”

“We need to bring the armoured car into the underground area so we can carry Harry down, he can’t walk to the car if we leave it out on the street, and leaving it out the front might attract unwanted attention” Louis reflects.

“Ok I’ll keep the camera trained on that entrance then and watch out incase you need back in fast” As he says this Louis notes that Niall is beginning to plate up the breakfasts and he realises that despite the butterflies in his tummy he is hungry. He smiles gratefully at Niall as he passes a plate over to him. “You sit down and eat” he instructs Louis “I will take Harry’s through to him and give him a hand with eating” 

Niall places the other two plates on the table and walks back toward the safe room calling out to Zayn to “come and get it” as he goes.

Louis tucks into the breakfast, it really does taste good. Niall has got the eggs just right and Louis can dip his toast in them which is his absolute favorite thing to do. He manages to eat every scrap off his plate and then gets up to make some tea, because he needs his cuppa in the morning.

As he waits for the kettle to boil Liam is giving him instructions for the “raid” as he calls it. Louis is not sure that term is not glamourising what is in effect breaking and entering. He knows it’s from necessity but he really hopes they don’t get caught and end up in some police cell, they will be no use at all there, although maybe Liam can pull military rank in that scenario or something.

Louis takes his tea back through to the safe room to see that Harry is just waving Niall and the half full plate away “I can’t eat anymore, I’m sorry” Harry is apologising. Louis takes his tea over so him, offering it to Harry incase he wants a sip. Harry smiles slightly but shakes his head, “I only drink herbal tea” he states and somehow Louis is not surprised, a little scandalised maybe, but not surprised. 

“Yorkshire Tea is the only tea” he tuts but he makes sure there is humour in his voice so Harry knows he has not caused offence. 

Harry looks at him then, reaching out his hand. Louis take the proffered hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. “Thank you for doing this Louis” he says “Please stay safe and come back”.

“I will” Louis says, trying to reassure Harry

“Promise?” says Harry with wide eyes. “I promise!” Louis assures him. God he hopes it’s a promise he can keep.

“Ok” Liam says pulling his boot laces tight “We need to get going, fetch those pain meds and antibiotics before Harry gets an infection.” 

Louis reluctantly gives Harry’s hand another squeeze before getting up to find his trainers and pull them and his jacket on. 

Liam is removing the safety catch from his gun, which makes Louis swallow hard. “OK Louis he says, have you got a weapon anywhere and do you know how to use it?” Louis considers this. He knows that Niall has hidden a gun somewhere in the safe room the day before but he somehow thinks that is best kept a secret and also he wants Niall to be able to protect himself and the other boys if for any reason they don’t make it back. So instead he suggests he might arm himself with one of his father’s golf clubs.

“Better than nothing” Liam says with a shrug. Louis looks over at Niall who gives him an odd look. “Come watch my back while I go for the golf club Niall” he suggests and Niall nods. They leave the room together, through the kitchen and out into the hall. 

“I wanted you to have the gun, incase you need it” Louis tells Niall as soon as he is sure they are out of ear shot. “Ok” replies Niall. “You want me to keep your boy safe huh?” Niall says his voice slightly teasing. “What? No? I don’t have a boy!” Louis responds, he guesses Niall means Harry. 

“Yeah well maybe mate. But the way he looks at you Louis I think he would like to be your boy for sure” Niall states. Louis tuts at him “I don’t think now is the time for that Niall” he reprimands. “Yeah well just don’t go getting yourself killed for him OK, I need you too, you are my boy first OK” Niall says more serious before pulling Louis into a tight hug. 

They hug for a few seconds before moving to select a large iron golf club for Louis to use. Then with a small nod they make their way back to the safe room. 

When they arrive back Liam is pacing and looking eager to leave. “Ready?” he says. “Just a sec” Louis says. He walks past Liam and across to Harry, bending down to whisper in his ear. “I will go find your family Harry and I will come back I promise”. He gently kisses Harry on top of his head, thinking as he does about what Niall had said about Harry being his boy, maybe he would like that to be true.

“Promise me” Harry says to him grabbing a hold of his shirt. “I promise” Louis whispers as he eases Harry’s fingers from his shirt and squeezes Harry’s hand firmly before releasing it. He walks back over to the door, deliberately not looking back and follows Liam to the hallway that leads to the front door. As he waits for Liam to check the coast is clear outside and they slide through the open door, Louis can’t help feeling a little niggling thought that the group should not be separating like this, like they are stronger and safer when they are together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking with this - more action next chapter


	6. Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis and Liam go on a raid and make some discoveries  
> Harry worries and receives some news

Chapter 6 - Discovery

It’s grey outside and there is a light drizzle falling, as Louis jogs through the grounds of his father’s house, about 5 metres behind Liam who looks nervous up ahead. As the gate comes into view Liam beckons Louis to follow him to squat behind a low bush to the side. 

“I left the vehicle a couple of streets away so as not to draw any unwanted attention this way” he whispers. “I need to go to the gate to check the street is clear. If it is I will key in the code your father gave to Zayn. As soon as you see the gate open run over to join me, I’ll lead the way once outside.”

Louis nodded silently to Liam to confirmed his understanding and watched shakily as the latter left and crossed over to the gate. Once there Liam looked both ways down the street before approaching the key panel and tapping in a number.

The gate began to swing open and Louis swallowed a nervous lump down, this was it he had to go out there and face whatever might be waiting. With a deep breath he jogged over to Liam and took up position behind him as they entered the street. They waited a couple of minutes to ensure the gate closed safely behind them, the boys had the safe room on lock down but it still paid to check no one got into the house behind them.

Liam turned into the street and began jogging along, signalling Louis to keep close to the hedge at the side and to duck down so as to be less visible to anyone who might be looking from the upstairs windows of the houses they passed on the street. 

They reached a T Junction and Liam signalled for him to stop where he was whilst he checked the coast was clear. When it appeared to be safe Liam beckoned him to move forward again and they turned left and began jogging once more. Louis was just thinking how unnaturally quiet it seemed out there, no cars or even bird song, when he suddenly heard a sound like footsteps and heavy breathing coming from up ahead. He tensed up and saw from the increased tension in Liam’s back that he had heard it too.

Liam signalled Louis to stop and step close into the hedge as he raised his gun, pointing it in the direction of the approaching noise. Just then a figure came running around the corner in an erratic fashion, weaving across the path and stumbling slightly every few paces. Louis’ eyes were glued to the figure, a man probably in his 30s, as he moved their way. Nothing in the man’s movement suggested he had noticed the two younger men and as he came nearer still Louis noted that he eyes were clouded and grey and did not appear to be focussed on anything. Louis held his breath as the man moved nearer still and then stumbled past them and carried on down the road. Once he was sure it would not be heard by the retreating figure Louis breathed out. That was close and suddenly the danger felt even more real to him.

Liam beckoned Louis forward again, this time keeping his gun raised and ready until the reached next corner where he stopped and once again gestured for Louis to wait. Once more Liam moved to check the road was clear but this time he stepped back hurriedly. “Shit” he exclaimed and then moved right next to Louis to whisper in his ear “there is a group of around three people clustered around the car, I don’t know if they are affected or not and they might be armed they are too far away for me to tell!”

Louis felt his heart sink, “what do we do?” he enquired in an urgent whisper.

Liam seemed to think for a minute biting at his lip. “Ok” he whispered at last “I need to try to scare them off, you stay here and watch from corner, if there is trouble you need to run back to the house OK?”

Louis nodded numbly not really registering the fact that Liam was suggesting putting himself in danger by stepping out there alone. He followed him to the corner, stopping as the three men and the car came into view. The men did appear to be looking through the windows of the vehicle, suggesting they had their sight. They were all dressed casually in jeans and sweatshirts, and Louis tried to figure whether they were people he knew to live locally but he couldn’t place them. 

Liam raised his gun and fired a shot into the air and the three men swivelled round in their direction as Liam stepped into clear view, gun now pointing at the men. “Ok no one needs to get hurt here, but I do need you to move away from vehicle” Liam stated with a tone of authority. Two of the men raised their hands to indicate passive intentions, but the third started to run toward Liam. 

Louis jumped at the sound of a gun shot as the running man fell to the ground clutching his shoulder. “Ok that was stupid” Liam shouted. “You move slowly over to your friend keeping your hands up” he gestured to the larger of the two remaining men. “Then pick him up and get the hell out of here before I go for more than a safety shot. I warn you this gun can fire 5 rounds a second so I can end all three of you in the blink of an eye if you try anything. Trust me that shot was meant to hit your friend in the shoulder, if I wanted to kill him it would have been a head shot!”

The man nodded and moved toward his friend with his arms in the air. When he reached him he looked at Liam and on receiving a nod he grasped the man and pulled him back to their other group member and they both assisted in dragging themselves off down the road as fast as they were able. 

Liam fetched a key out of his pocket and beckoned the shaken Louis to follow him over to the car, this time at a sprint rather than a jog. They reached the vehicle without further interruption and Liam opened the door so that Louis was able to clamber in. 

Liam jumped in the opposite side and got the engine started as quickly as possible, pulling away before anyone who might have been alerted by the gun shot had time to reach the scene. 

As they drove away Louis began to feel his heart rate easing down slightly from the previous state, where he had thought it might be at risk of beating right out of his chest. “Those men could see” he stated. “Yeah” Liam replied simply. Louis bit down on his lip, realising that if they ran into the gangs where they were going, and those gangs were armed and could see this was going to be really dangerous. 

As if reading Louis’ mind Liam suggested “We could still chose a safer Pharmacy to get what we need”. 

“No” Louis said decisively partly to convince himself. “I promised Harry I would check on his family and that’s what we are going to do!” 

“OK” Liam nodded resigned to the increased danger. The treatment centre is about a 20 minute drive, keep an eye out for trouble, when we get there I am going to try to park as close as possible so we can make a quick in and out dash”. He made it sound so simple!

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry was worried, not long after Liam and Louis had left the boys had heard what sounded like a distant gunshot. He felt so useless, if Louis and Liam didn’t make it back he wouldn’t even be able to go out and look for them in his current state. Worse still he suspected that Zayn and Niall had been left behind to protect him when one of them would have been better taken for back up on the raid. Not to forget the only reason that Louis and Liam had gone out there at all was to get drugs for him and because he had insisted they look for his family. 

Niall was sat at the computer scanning the security camera feeds and Zayn was pacing at the other side of the room. When the gunshot had gone off they had all looked at each other with quiet worried faces but none of them had said a word.

The silence was starting to press down heavily on Harry, and the pain in his leg was building to be almost unbearable again. He desperately needed a distraction, so he decided to start a conversation if possible. Niall being the more chatty of the two, he decided to start with him.

“So Niall” he said trying to keep his voice light “How do you know Louis?” 

Niall looked over from the computer desk, surprised at the question. “We met on my first day at Kings” he offered “I was a boarder, my family were still in Ireland and I guess Louis noticed me looking a little lost and decided to take me under his wing. We have been best mates ever since I guess.”

“Only ever just friends?” Harry asked without thinking, and immediately wished he could take the question back! Niall just chuckled “Yes mate” purely platonic I am more into the ladies if I am honest. 

“What about Louis?” This time it was Zayn asking, having stopped his pacing to listen in on the conversation.

“Ah well that’s probably Louis’s question to answer, but let’s just say he’s never had a girlfriend since we’ve been mates”

“Wow I never suspected that” Zayn commented “Although he behaves differently when he’s with his dad it’s true, he is softer when he’s with you guys, especially you” he said looking at Harry. Harry blushed deeply at that, he had noticed the hair stroking and gentle head kisses but he was almost certain this was just Louis’s way of trying to reassure him after his injury and stave off further panic attacks. 

Having been obsessed with Louis for so long at college though, watching him in lectures and messing around with Niall and mates in the dining room he was pretty certain that Louis was gay. Sure the girls flirted with him all the time but Louis had never seemed interested in that way. However, he had never noticed Louis being particularly close to anyone other than Niall and if Niall was straight then maybe so was Louis, or maybe it was unrequited love between them. He was reassured that Zayn appeared not to be aware of Louis’ sexuality, that shut the door on his suspicions that he may have been more to Louis than just a company employee of his father.

“I wonder about Liam” Zayn said thoughtfully, “he’s an odd one. I wonder what his story is? He seems quite young to be leading a rescue mission don’t you think?” 

“Well you know him better than we do I guess having travelled here with him all cosy in his little soldier mobil!” Niall teased. Zayn blushed deeply then!!

Harry suddenly thought about Louis and Liam being out there depending on each other, he was willing to admit to himself that he would be jealous, if he wasn’t so worried.

“What was it like out there when you came” he asked Zayn, perhaps hoping for some assurance that if was safer than he feared. Zayn’s shudder at the question was however not reassuring.

“It was mad” Zayn replied. “People were running around in panic, cars were abandoned in the middle of roads and the drones” He stopped and took a breath “The drones were just shooting the people down as they ran in panic.” 

“Did they shoot at you?” Harry asked tensely.

“No” Zayn replied “That was the weird thing they only seemed to shoot people on foot and only if they were running, if the people were standing still they did not shoot and they did not attack buildings or cars” 

“There were other cars?” Harry asked. 

“Yes we saw a few” Zayn reflected “I didn’t think it odd at the time, but it might mean less people are affected by whatever this is than we thought.

Harry swallowed at that. He knew he should be relieved if the lights had affected less people, there was hope for his family. But at the same time it made it more likely that Harry and Liam might run into gang members while they were on the estate and they would be armed and might wish to get their hands on an army issue vehicle full of drugs.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The drive to the treatment centre was relatively uneventful. At times Liam had to swerve around cars that had been abandoned in the road. Once they had seen drones in the distance but they had not flown near to them. They did not see any people at all excluding a number of bodies lying out in the streets.

Before Louis knew it Liam was pulling into the back of the treatment centre into a bay that read “Staff Parking”. 

“It’s better if we leave the car here out of sight” Liam commented, we both need to go in together to watch each other’s backs and I don’t fancy coming back outside to another group of people trying to steal the wheels, one shoot out is enough!” 

Louis reached across and picked up his golf club, hoping that he was not going to need it. Then both he and Liam opened their doors and slid out of the vehicle as silently as possible. 

Liam led the way to the rear entrance and gently tried the handle. Unsurprisingly the door did not move. Liam moved over to the electronic panel next to the door, clearly designed to be activated by a staff pass. Liam rooted in the pocket on the side of his trousers and pulled out a device which looked a bit like a USB stick. “Universal entry controller” he whispered as he waved it at the panel causing a green light to come on and the door to give a soft click. This time when he pulled the door it came open and, once Liam had checked the hall was clear, they stepped inside. 

The hallway was dark and led into a windowless corridor that was lit only by soft emergency lighting. The two men edged their way toward the front of the building checking the doors off the corridor as they went. The first door revealed a staff room, with some comfy chairs and a vending machine but nothing resembling storage for medication. The signage on the next door indicated a staff toilet, so Liam moved along. The third door was locked and had another of the electronic security pads, so Liam moved the gadget up to it until it flashed green with a reassuring click.

Gesturing for Louis to stay where he was, Liam gently pushed the door open. It was dark inside with no emergency lighting but Louis could just about make out some shelving. Liam flicked on a torch, which he had pulled from another pocket, and “bingo” they seemed to have found the secure drugs store. “Ok “Liam whispered, “We are looking for Amoxicillin that’s an antibiotic, and also either Diamorphine or Pethidine for pain. If you see Ketamine get that too as it might come in handy if we have any more injuries. You look and I will watch the door”

Liam passed the torch to Louis and he made his way into the small stockroom, rummaging through boxes and reading labels. He found the Amoxicillin quickly and secured a pack of ten boxes of 30, not being sure how long one took a course of antibiotics following a bullet wound. Finding the painkillers and Ketamine was less easy though, and after searching every shelf to no avail he was feeling despondent until he noticed a locked cabinet in the corner of the room. Of course the drugs Liam had listed would be controlled drugs and kept locked away! They would need to find a key to the cupboard - Shit!

“Liam I think we need a key” he said as he turned around to find Liam raising his gun to point at a young woman in a nurses uniform who it seemed had just entered the corridor via the other entrance at the front. “This might be a fortuitous encounter then” Liam said quietly as the nurse’s eyes widened and she stopped still staring at the gun.

Louis moved to the side of Liam so that he was in view, and made a placating gesture. “Hi I am Louis” he said, not sure why introductions were necessary but feeling it might help. “My friend has been shot and I really need to help get some pain relief for him. Liam here works for the military so I guess our request is kind of official, can you help?” 

“Um well I don’t know, I am not supposed to prescribe medicine only give out what has been prescribed by a GP” the nurse, or perhaps she was a pharmacist, replied. 

“Well said Louis, you could just open the cupboard, Liam here is trained in field medicine and seems to know what he’s looking for, you could maybe just pretend not to see?” 

At that the young lady smiled slightly as if amused, “If I am honest I think maybe usual rules don’t apply right now” she stated simply. “Although maybe you could do me a favour in return for me helping you out?”

“Um well that depends” Liam replied with a note of caution. “What is the favour”.

“Ok so I live about 10 miles out of town and take a bus to work” she explained “I was running some diagnostics in the lab the other night and when I came out everyone else had gone home. That’s not unusual so I locked up and went to catch the bus. Didn’t get far before hitting chaos, people running around, literally in blind panic and then these flying things firing at folk. I ran back here and I have been pretty much hiding out ever since. If I am honest I am hungry and tired and maybe if I help you, you could give me a lift home?”

Liam looked unsure, like this was another obstacle to his mission of getting Louis to his dad. Louis was hesitant for another reason, 10 miles was a long way and dangerous and he needed to get back to Harry with the medicine as soon as they could, after checking for Harry’s family. 

“We can’t take you home” Liam decided to respond, but we can take you with us to Louis’s house, it’s safe there and there is food, perhaps you can help Harry too”

The nurse seemed to consider this proposition for a moment before nodding. “Well it’s better than staying here and waiting for a mob to break in for the drugs I suppose, no offence given that is exactly what you two are doing! My name is Catherine by the way and if you like you could stop pointing your gun at me now?”

Liam nodded and slowly lowered the gun ushering Catherine into the store room, where she fetched a key from her pocket and moved to the locked cupboard. Louis directed the torch into the cupboard and Catherine pulled out various boxes which looked to contain drugs and syringes. With arms full she turned around and stated that she had what was needed.

“OK” Liam said, “We need to get going now”. 

“Can I just pick my handbag up from the staff room?” Catherine asked. “It’s by the back door” 

Liam nodded and the three of them moved quickly back down the corridor, with Catherine popping into the room they had passed earlier and emerging with a blue shoulder bag. Once back at the rear exit Liam signalled for Louis and Catherine to stay put and checked the coast was clear before beckoning them out to the car. Louis climbed into the back, not liking the idea of having a stranger sat behind him where he couldn’t see them and Catherine climbed in the front passenger seat next to Liam. 

“Ok we have one more stop to make” Liam stated to Catherine. “Louis are you ready to go find Harry’s family?” 

Louis swallowed the anxiety rising in his stomach, what if they get there and it’s not good news? But he swallows down the lump that’s rising in his throat and nods and Liam reverses out of the parking bay and back onto the street. This time Liam drives slowly telling Catherine and Louis to look out for potential trouble. Louis thinks he sees upstairs curtains twitch once or twice but other than that it all seems quiet out on the streets, eerily quiet if Louis is honest.

“It’s just down the end of this road, number 6b Harry said” Liam states suddenly and Louis feels his heart rate pick up. He focuses on the doors of the houses counting down the numbers until they reach a blue wooden door marked with the numbers 6a and 6b. It looks like it once belonged to a terraced house but that has been split into an upstairs and downstairs flat. Louis assumes 6b is the upstairs flat, the windows look dark and he can’t see any movement from the street. “OK” Liam says, “Catherine stay with the car, if anyone comes beep the hooter to warn us, he points to a button, other than that stay low and try to avoid being seen.” 

Liam opens the door and steps out, and Louis follows getting cautiously out of the back door, keeping his eyes trained on the blue front door as he follows Liam towards it. 

The door isn’t locked and yields when Liam pushes on it so they step inside to a small entrance way. There is a door either side of them, the one on the right bears the number 6b and so Louis knocks gently. They wait but there is no answer, Louis is not sure whether the feeling in his stomach is dread or relief, but he moves his hand down to the door handle and pushes down, it gives! Louis pushes the door gently open and calls out “Hello, Mrs Styles? Anyone home?”

There is no answer so Louis steps softly inside and climbs the steep stairs. He hears Liam following behind as he reaches the top and starts to move through the flat. It’s a small flat, a compact lounge with a shabby if comfortable looking sofa and fluffy rug over bare floorboards, makes up the heart of the accommodation, leading off are four doors. It’s so very different from the opulence of his father’s home, but a lot nearer to his mother’s and it feels homely if a little cold. He checks behind the other doors two small bedrooms, one with twin beds and one with a single. The third door is a small bathroom with a bathtub, sink and toilet, the final door is a very small kitchen. 

Louis is just about to back out of the kitchen when an envelope catches his eye, propped up next to the kettle. He crosses the room in the two short strides it takes and picks the envelope up, it simply has Harry’s name written on the front. He considers opening the letter but decides he needs to let Harry do that for himself. 

“What’s that?” Liam asks him as he enters the sitting room again.

“A note for Harry. His family aren’t here though, we should get back to Harry and let him read this” He said.

Liam nodded and moved back towards the stairs and Louis followed him down relieved to be heading back. 

Suddenly Liam was knocked into the wall and pinned across the neck by a scruffy looking man. Liam’s gun fell to the floor and the man snatched it up pointing it to Louis and telling him to move and stand next to Liam. He did so swiftly hands raised above his head.

“Who are you and why are you in Anne’s house?” the man demanded.

“We are friends of Harry” Louis said slowly “he wanted us to check on his mum” 

“Harry the college boy? Why does he send strangers and not come himself? It is not the job of outsiders to look out for his family.” The man asserts looking angry.

“Harry has been shot” Louis states deciding honesty is best, “we came out to get him medication and he asked that we come to check on his family as he cannot, it’s a bad wound” 

The man looks concerned to hear that, but before he can comment he is interrupted from outside by a voice calling “Boss, Alberto? Look what we found out here?” 

Louis and Liam both tensed up suspecting that the voice was referring to Catherine and the car. Sure enough a burley young man came through the door then dragging Catherine behind him by her wrist. 

“Jesus Zack” Alberto hissed “Let go of the young lady, whatever will she think, we are not savages.” Zack obediently released Catherine and Alberto gestured for her to go and stand with Louis and Liam so she was also covered by the gun. 

“Ok who are you missy?” Alberto asked and Catherine explained that she was a nurse from the local treatment centre who had elected to accompany Louis and Liam for safety. “You can see?” Alberto asked. “Yes” answered Catherine explaining how she had been in the lab running diagnostics when the lights had been in the sky.

“Ah so it was the lights” Alberto said looking over to Zack. “ Zack and I were on a job and did not see the lights but when we came out of the building the lads waiting for us could not see. Most of our gang members are blinded and some have been hurt, we could use a nurse.” Catherine looked unsure about that. 

“Do you know what has happened to Harry’s family?” Louis asked. “Aye a bit” replied Alberto. “They saw the lights but it did not affect them, they were able to help the boys in my flat” He pointed to the door of the downstairs flat. “They had just gone back upstairs to their flat for a change of clothes when a big military truck arrived. There were many armed men so me and the boys lay low, they were here about half an hour and then Anne and Gemma left with the soldiers, carrying bags like they were going away for a while, they seemed to be going willingly and there were too many of them for us to try to stop, so we had to let them go” Alberto looked regretful at that confession.

“Alberto Harry is very badly injured and I need to get back to help him” Louis ventured suspecting that Alberto would not wish harm to come to Anne’s son. 

Alberto seemed to consider for a while, then he nodded his head. “You two can go and take your car, but I keep the gun” Then he looked at Catherine “We do not kidnap innocent people my dear” He stated, “But we do need a nurse and if you were willing to stay and help us we will keep you safe and take you home to your family as soon as we can, you have my word.” 

Catherine seemed to consider for a moment before responding “Can someone give me a lift back to the treatment centre? If you can give me protection I can set up a clinic there and treat your boys. Do you have cars, could someone fetch my family here? I think we might be safer than home on our own, I have heard of you Alberto and I know you are an honorable man so I trust you to keep your word.”

Alberto nodded. “That I will” he waved at Liam and Louis “You two go, get back to Anne’s son, but be warned if I hear anything has happened to him and our paths cross again I will not be pleased. Now scram!”

Liam looked like he might be considering arguing, but Louis sensed Alberto would not hold back on using the gun so he grabbed Liam’s hand firmly and pulled him through the front door and out to the car, through a small group of men that were standing just outside, most of whom had the cloudy grey in their eyes which indicated that they had been affected by the lights. 

Liam and Louis climbed into the front of the car without being stopped and quickly drove off.

Once they were out of sight of Alberto and his men, Louis checked the glove compartment and breathed a sigh of relief that the drugs were still there. Catherine had it seemed chosen not to betray them by mentioning the stock of medicine, Louis thanked her in his head and hoped she would be ok. Now all that remained was for him and Liam to get back to the house without the aid of Liam’s gun to ward off trouble!

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry was becoming more and more anxious, Louis and Liam had been gone for too long. What if they had found his family and it wasn’t good? What if they had not even made it there and been taken out by a drone, what it the gunshot he heard earlier had injured Louis, or worse. He chewed down on his nails, the pain distracting him slightly at least from the continued burning pain in his thigh. 

“They’re here!!” Niall shouted from his position at the monitors pointing at two figures running across the grounds in-front of the house. He pressed the button to open the front door and then the button to activate the door of the safe room. Then they all turned towards the door holding their breath.

The sound of hurried footsteps was followed by both Louis and Liam rushing through the door. Zayn leapt up and ran to Liam grabbing his arm and pulling him to face him, asking with his eyes if he was OK. Louis came to a stop in front of Harry an uncertain look in his eye. Harry was suddenly very worried and felt his heart sink.

“Um we got the medication, painkillers and antibiotics.” Louis said. Harry was grateful that there might be something to help the physical pain he felt but what was missing from what Louis had said weighed heavy on his chest. “And my family?” he asked quietly. “They weren’t there” said Louis sadly “But we met your mum’s um neighbour Alberto? He said that your mum and sister had not been harmed by the lights and had been picked up by the military yesterday” Louis put a hand into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. “I think they left you this note” he said passing it to Harry.

Harry took the envelope with shaking hands, his name was written on the front with his mum’s familiar handwriting. He gently eased the envelope open and pulled out a short and hurriedly written note. He read it out loud so Louis would hear too.

Dear Harry 

I don’t know if you will get this note but I hope you do.

Gemma and I are OK, the lights did not affect us and today some government troops have arrived. They say that they think we are immune and that you are also, apparently they had a database that indicated that we would not have been harmed, I am not sure how. Apparently they sent some troops to pick you up from college before they came for us but you weren’t there. 

 

We have to go now as they are waiting for us.

I hope you are OK and that we will see you soon. 

All my love Mum xx


	7. Orders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam feels uneasy  
> Louis throws a fashion show   
> Harry has to think of mud

Chapter 7 - Orders

Louis is in the kitchen eating some lunch with Liam trying to unwind from the morning’s adventures. After Harry had read his mum’s letter he had seemed more relaxed, and once Liam had administered the pain relief medication and antibiotics he had drifted quickly into what appeared to be peaceful sleep. 

Liam on the other hand, who had been looking increasingly agitated since their return, looked anything but peaceful right now. His brow was creased and he was just picking at his food and frankly this was beginning to make Louis feel agitated too. 

“I know Harry is trying to rest” Liam said suddenly, as if reaching a decision, “but once we have eaten I think we should go back into the safe room. I want to talk something through with you and the other lads”.

“Sure” said Louis “But why not out here, so we don’t wake Harry?”

“Safety” Liam said simply and then got to his feet and went to the sink to clean his plate, reaching for Louis’s on the way across the room.

Louis sighed and headed back into the safe room, not that he particularly wished to be confined in the small space again. 

Liam followed a couple of minutes later and then pushed the button to reseal the concealed door. He walked over to where Niall was watching the camera feeds. “Anything to report?” he asked. “A couple of people stumbled into the gate earlier and gave them a bit of a rattle, but other than that not a sausage” Niall replied in a bored voice.

“Zayn? Louis? Can you come over here please” Liam beckoned. Zayn raised himself up from the bunk, where he had been laying reading one of Louis’s father’s books and walked over. Louis sauntered over after him.

“What’s up” Louis asked Liam when the soldier didn’t appear eager to start with an explanation. 

Liam continues to look conflicted, but then he sighs and starts to explain. “We didn’t bring the armoured car back in to the grounds.” he stated simply.

“Yeah why was that?” Louis enquired, he had asked at the time Liam had pulled into a private driveway in the adjacent street and told Louis to get out of the vehicle, but he had just received a “trust me and just do it” for his trouble. Getting back to Harry and then hearing the letter from his mother had distracted him for wondering why, but now he would dearly like to know.

“It has a GPS tracker” Liam stated, as if that was some sort of explanation.

“Is that not a good thing Liam?” Zayn asked quietly, saving Louis the trouble.

“Hmmm” Liam looks thoughtful “Zayn my orders were to come with you to bring back Mr Tomlinson’s son. It’s true timelines were not set, but I presume the expectation was an immediate retrieve and extract operation. Instead I have been wandering around the city and hearing and seeing things that I don’t think I was supposed to, and if I am being honest, I am feeling really uneasy as a result!”

“What do you mean?” Louis asks, unease beginning to build in his own stomach.

“Well” says Liam thoughtfully “The lights and the airbourne attacks, they are supposed to be unexpected right?” All three boys nod in response wide eyed. “Yet the military, or someone purporting to be the military somehow knew to come and pick Harry’s folks up because they are unaffected? That’s just odd right? We have a great army but we usually would struggle to mount a structured retrieval operation within 24 hours with no prior notice. Now it’s possible the troops were patrolling the streets and saw Harry’s mum and sister and followed them home, but then why would they not have knocked also on Alberto’s downstairs flat? Unless they did knock and Alberto lied to us? It just doesn’t feel right but i can’t put my finger on why”

Louis nods thoughtfully, he thinks Liam has a point here.

“So all the way back here it was playing on my mind. Why did your dad only tell Zayn and I about the safe room? Did he not want anyone else to know, in case when we found you there was a need to hide you, because you were blinded? Was he worried about what the troops would do to you if you were? That got me to thinking about what would happen if they found Harry injured? Would they help him or consider him a liability? To be safe I decided it would be better to avoid leading anybody directly here until Harry is ready to be moved and hence no longer a liability.”

Louis nodded but there was still something not adding up for him about what Liam said. “But dad said the military came for him, so surely they know where he lives and could send someone to look for us anyway?”

Liam looked pleased with himself then, like he had thought of something that Louis had not. “Yes they know he lives here, but your dad made sure to tell Zayn and I about the safe room in private. If they don’t know it exists and come looking for us here they won’t find us. If the vehicle was here they would know we were too and maybe look hard enough to find us, but if the car isn’t here either they might assume we hit trouble elsewhere and move on in their search.”

This makes sense to Louis but he wonders at Liam’s choice of the word “us” and questions him. “By referring to “us” are you suggesting you are on our side?”

Liam shakes his head sadly at that. “No not taking sides” he says, I still intend to bring you in as per my orders, but 1. I don’t have a gun anymore and so and kind of going to need your cooperation on that one, and 2. I shot Harry and he was doing nothing except trying to protect his friends, so I feel responsible for making sure he can recover from that, I owe him one for sure”.

Louis nods, he certainly agrees with that last sentiment, Liam does have a moral obligation to ensure Harry does not suffer any more than necessary for the shot which Liam should never have fired.

“What next then?” Louis asks.

“I think we should stay hidden in the safe room until Harry wakes and we think he can travel. Then I will go and collect the vehicle and bring it here. We can then got to the base and I will explain that we laid low while Harry healed. If they send a search party we can pretend that we missed them whilst out getting the drugs, or that the security camera feed wasn’t working so we didn’t know help had arrived.”

Louis looks over at Harry’s sleeping form, grateful that the plan does not involve moving him before he is ready. He is of course concerned that LIam thinks that Harry might be seen as a liability by the military, he feels very protective of the younger lad, and he’s pretty sure it has at least a bit to do with those large green doe eyes.

“How long do you think we can stay here before they really start looking in earnest and maybe get my dad to tell them about this room?” Louis asks with uncertainty.

“Probably a couple of days” says Liam “hopefully that will be enough for Harry to move without reopening the wound.”

“Alright, we best set up a watch system then” this time it’s Niall speaking up. “I have been playing around with camera feeds and can now show both the main gate the back stairs on a constant split screen feed, rather than the random switching between rooms. If we take watches we will know if we have company and be able to go silent in the hope of staying hidden”

“Ok then” Liam says “In that case Zayn and Niall I think you should take first watch while Louis and I get some sleep. I expect Louis will want to be awake when Harry comes round.” 

Louis is about to enquire why Liam would think that he would wish that, but then he realises that it’s true he would and so instead he nods quietly and goes over to Niall’s bunk to lie down, as Liam takes his place in the bottom bunk. 

Louis doesn’t really expect to be able to sleep, but his head has barely hit the pillow when he finds himself drifting off.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry blinks his eyes awake as he gently regains awareness. The first thing he notices is that the pain in his leg is just a deep ache and definitely much more bearable than it had been the day before. The next thing that hits him is the relative silence, he can hear the sound of sleeping coming from behind him on the bunks, although he doesn’t turn around to see who is sleeping there, incase the movement causes the pain to flare back up. Finally he focuses on the room ahead, where he can see Niall and Zayn peering together at the screen which he assumes is showing the security feed.

“Hi guys” he says in a scratchy dry throated voice. 

“Oh hey Harry” Niall says turning round. “How are you? Are you thirsty?”

Harry nods now recognising that his throat feels as dry as sandpaper and Niall brings him a bottle of water, and unscrews the top before passing it over. Harry takes long gulps before thanking Niall, his voice sounding much less scratchy.

“There’s a bit of activity going outside the gate” Niall tells him. “Zayn and I were wondering whether to tell the guys but we didn’t want to wake them.” 

“Some guys were trying the gates but when they didn’t budge they went away. I told Niall that Liam would want us to wake him to let him know” Zayn contributed from where he was still scrutinising the screen.

“Liam might” Niall offered “But trust me you don’t want to wake Louis up from a sleep if you don’t have to, he’s like a grumpy kitten, well more a angry tiger cub!”

Harry giggles, although he doesn’t know why because in the pit of his stomach he’s anxious! 

Niall seems to pick up on Harry’s anxiety because he touches his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Liam seems to think we are safe in here as it’s impossible to find from the outside and we have changed the security feeds so we have constant eyes on the gate and rear exit so even if anyone breaks we will know and can go silent so they don’t know we are here”

Just then they hear a shuffling noise from behind them and then Louis’s voice “Harry! You are awake, how are you feeling?”

Harry takes a minute to think of this, “dirty” he decides is the best description. “He can feel blood crusting on what’s left of his joggers and his armpits feel tacky, is there anyway you think I could a get a wash and maybe some clean clothes?”

“Shit, why did I not think of that!” Louis says apologetically. We need to find you some clothes, and maybe a shower. Do you think you make it to the bathroom?” 

Harry is not sure he can and just as he’s contemplating it Niall answers for him. “I don’t think Harry should leave the room Louis, there been folk trying the gate and if they come back we need to be safely locked in here and Harry is not really in a fit state to be running anywhere!”

“Fair point” Louis replies. “In that case I need to go out there, grab you some clothes and some toiletries with a bowl, we can boil the kettle for warm water in here and give you a wash.” Louis looks at Harry critically. “I think I need to raid my dad’s wardrobe to find you some clean clothes that will fit.” Then he considers, “Comes to think of it maybe i should grab us all some clean clothes we’ve all been in what we are currently wearing for 72 hours or more” 

“I think you should wake Liam up to go with you” Zayn suggests, “just in case you hit trouble and also in case you need a hand carrying anything. It might be worth you bringing anything of sentimental value or that you want to take with you back here while you are at it” 

“I think my Dad also has a crutch up in the loft that he used when he broke is ankle a few years back” Louis suggested “I should pick that up for Harry as it might help him get back on his feet.”

 

So half an hour later, when Niall and Zayn are happy that the gate is still clear and Liam has been woken up and updated, it’s time to open the door. It’s been decided that Zayn will also go for an extra pair of hands, so all three are stood by the door ready to push the button. 

“OK” Niall instructs “Get what you need as quick as you can. If I see any movement I will move the security camera around in the room that you are in, so one of you keep a lookout for that at all times.”

“Roger that” says Liam, appearing happy to have a task to undertake other than waiting around “OK opening the door in 3, 2 1” Liam presses the button and the door slides open and the three leave speedily.

Niall changes the feed on the screen so it is following the boys on their trip and moves to one side so that Harry can watch the screen from the sofa. It’s a bit blurry but Harry can at least make out the three figures and as his eyes adjust he finds that he can also distinguish who is who from size difference and mannerisms.

The other half of the screen still shows the gate and Niall is anxiously looking over there every couple of seconds as well as following the boys moves. The first stop is the bathroom where Louis speedily shoves toiletries and medicines into a bag, grabbing a couple of towels as well on the way out.

Next they go to Louis’s room and he grabs a rucksack from under his bed. They take longer in this room as Louis appears to be considering which of his possessions he wants to take with him. Just as he’s about the leave the room, he dashes back to his bedside cabinet and grabs some items from his top drawer, before nodding at Zayn and Liam that he is ready for the next room. 

The last room they visit is Louis’ father’s, where Louis grabs various items of clothing from the wardrobe and passes them to Zayn to carry. He also grabs some shoe boxes and piles them into Zayn’s waiting arms.

Lastly they make their way to the loft hatch in the hallway and Liam pulls it open, dragging down the ladder, so that Louis can clamber up. Just as Louis disappears into the open hole Niall whispers “Shit!”. He is looking at the gate feed where Harry can see some figures gathered again. 

“Wiggle the camera Niall, warn them” Harry urges.

Niall starts fiddling with the hall camera and the feed of the boys becomes disjointed. But the boys are focussed on the ladder as Louis is passing down a crutch to Liam and they cannot see the camera behind them. 

“Come on boys! Come on” Niall mutters, watching in agitation as the crowd outside rattle the gate as if testing it. 

Louis is on his way down the ladder and as soon as he has his feet on the ground Liam is folding the ladder back-up and pulling the hatch back across, being sure to leave no trace of having been there. The three boys turn then and all three notice the camera wiggling. They hare back down the corridor and into the kitchen. Next thing they are sliding through the door and pressing the button to close it quickly behind them.

Liam runs over to the screen to see what Niall was alerting them too and Louis run to to Harry to check he is ok, before heading over to Niall to.

“I think they are going” Harry hears Liam say with a note of relief in his voice. They continue watching the screen for a few minutes after the crowd have moved on before Liam speaks.

“I think we will have to head out tomorrow” he says, with a note of hesitation in his voice as he looks over to Harry. “I don’t think we can assume that those guys, or others won’t come back when they need something they think they might find here. The gate is quite strong but some metal cutters or strong bolt croppers can get them through. I don’t think they will find us here, but if they decided to set up camp or something we will be trapped.”

At that Louis crosses over to Harry and takes his hand, “Will you be OK to move do you think?” Harry squeezes his hand. “The pain is not so bad today” he replies “and you brought me a crutch so I can keep the weight off my leg. I will be OK I hope. Better after that wash and change of clothes” he adds trying to lessen the tension.

At that Louis grins and takes the pile of clothes and shoes boxes from Zayn’s outstretched hands. “Well I have brought Sir a selection of rather questionable Dad clothes, but they are clean, pick what you like, or perhaps I should say what you dislike least!”

Louis then proceeds to flounce around brandishing each item of clothing whilst describing it in an overly camp voice whilst Harry and the other boys giggle and vote on what items will best suit Harry. The tension lifts and it’s almost like a group of mates hanging out.

Harry choses some grey lightweight chino style trousers, a white shirt and a baggy beige cardigan. He actually really likes them, he thinks Louis’s dad has good taste, quite surprising as he’s only ever seen Louis in sportswear. 

“What’s in the boxes?” Harry says intrigued. 

“Well I noticed that your trainers had quite a bit of blood on them” Louis said “So I thought that you might want some of Dad’s shoes to borrow. These ones are new so they won’t be all smelly with Dad sweat.” Louis then opened the boxes with a flourish. Harry gasped when he saw a pair of Gucci loafers. “Oh My God” he said “I couldn’t take your father’s Gucci shoes!”

“Course you can” says Louis, “they were a gift and he’s never worn them” He takes them out of the box decisively as if he will not consider any argument “and they are slip on which means you can put them on without bending your bad leg”.

Louis looks satisfied that Harry has been convinced. “First things first though we need to get you cleaned up” he says “If I go boil the kettle for a bowl of water Liam can you take a look at Harry’s thigh?”

Louis moves off and Liam takes his place by Harry’s side easing his joggers down to reveal his thigh. It looks red and there is bruising around the entry point of the wound but Liam seems satisfied that it’s not infected. He administers some more pain relief as it’s due and he suggests that otherwise it’s going to hurt when they bathe it.

Then Louis is coming back, with a bowl, flannel, and bar of soap that smells of spicy orange. “Do you need a hand?” Louis asks him. The thought of Louis touching him with warm soapy hands sends his heart racing but he knows he cannot do a good job on his own so he nods.

Louis eases his tee shirt over his head first, gently scrubbing over his chest with the warm flannel. Harry forces himself to think of mud, or anything that will help make this seem less sensual. At Louis’ urging he lifts his arms so that Louis can wash his armpits and it feels honestly glorious to once again be clean there. Louis drys his top half off and passes him a clean tee shirt to sleep in. 

He allows Harry to put the tee shirt on so that he is at least partially clothed before easing his joggers down over his bottom. Harry winces with the sudden pain that moving his leg in the way causes, and Louis apologises, giving him a minute to breathe through it and brace himself whilst Louis pushes the joggers the rest of the way down making sure to lift the waistband well clear of the bullet wound.

Once Harry is down to his boxers he feels exposed, he really can’t afford to get hard now and he realises if he allows Louis to wash him intimately he will not be able to stop his cock behaving with a mind of it’s own, no matter how much he tries to think of mud. With a blush in his cheek he reaches for the flannel, taking it from Louis and pushing it and his hand into his boxers so that he can wash with at least some modesty. When he has finished he swaps the flannel for a towel and dries himself off. 

“Shall I do your legs?” Louis asks softly “It will be better if you stay still” 

Harry nods and Louis begins to gently sponge off the dried blood on Harry’s thighs and shins. After getting all the blood off, Louis fixes eye contact with Harry once more and gently slides the soapy flannel up between Harry’s inner thighs. His breath hitches and he swears for a second he see sparks flash in Louis blue eyes. But then the eye contact is broken and Louis is towelling him down gently.

Once Harry is dry Louis moves away to empty the bowl. Harry lays his head back on the sofa, it’s starting to feel fuzzy as the pain meds kick in again. He closes his eyes for a while, listening to the boys chat. 

After a while he hears Zayn and Niall climbing into the bunks leaving Louis and Liam on watch duty. He starts to breathe more deeply himself as he feels sleep pulling him under. Just before he loses consciousness he feels Louis press a soft kiss on his forehead and whisper, “sleep well Haz.”


	8. Leaving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leaving the last of normal and heading to the base.

Chapter 8 - Leaving

Harry woke as Louis and Liam were swapping over their stint on watch with Zayn and Niall. He took a few seconds to get his bearings but soon recognised the increasing pain in his leg as being an indication that he might need some more meds if he is going to get anymore sleep. He decided now might be a good time therefore to test out whether he can sit up unaided. Placing one hand flat on the sofa on each side of his body he pushed down firmly bringing his back up vertically. 

Crap that hurt!!! He grunted out with the pain involuntarily and Louis came running over scolding him for over doing it.

“Louis, I have to be able to walk later today” Harry argues “I need to get used to a little bit of discomfort!”

“That did not look or sound like a little bit of discomfort though” Louis retorted “You don’t have to push yourself, do you need some more meds, will that help?” 

Harry nodded “I was just about to ask” he said with honesty. 

“Ok, Liam can you show me what to do to give Harry his meds please?” Louis called over at Liam who was just chatting to Zayn and Niall by the monitors.

“Sure” Liam said, strolling over towards them.

Harry watched as Liam opened up the box of Tramadol. “I think we should go with the Tramadol rather than the Pethidine now Harry, it will make you less fuzzy headed as it’s not quite so strong.” 

Harry was glad, not least as the Tramadol appeared to be an oral suspension rather than an injection and he really was not fond of needles. When Liam passed him the full measuring cap he swallowed it down gratefully, after shuffling himself a bit more upright. 

“Ok” Liam said turning to Louis “We should get some sleep it’s going to be a busy day tomorrow” 

Louis looked at Harry then and he discerned reluctance in his face. “Will you be OK?” Louis asked him. Harry feels warm inside at Louis’s obvious concern but he is equally concerned about Louis and knows he needs to sleep, so as much as he would like to stay up and chat he instead instructs Louis that he will be fine and to go to bed.

He watches Louis give a small shrug and turn to climb into the bunk that Niall has recently vacated, before lying himself back down and closing his eyes.

 

When he next wakes up it must be morning as all four boys are up and about. Liam is at the monitors. Niall and Zayn are in the small kitchenette boiling the kettle and, it seems, making some form of breakfast. Louis seems to be sorting through the clothes that Harry picked out yesterday, he himself seems to have already changed into clean joggers and hoodie.

“Hello sunshine” Louis says to him just then, having it seems noticed he is awake. “Do you need hand getting changed into these clean clothes before we head out?” he asks. 

Harry nods, he is pleased that Louis is thinking of him, but if he’s honest he is not looking forward to having to move himself to get dressed and he is definitely not looking forward to the trip. 

Liam comes over just then to give Harry some antibiotics, he suggests that Harry waits until just before they leave for his next pain killers though, which Harry guesses is wise. 

Just then Niall is calling that breakfast is ready and passing Harry a plate with toast and a couple of hot dog style sausages that look like they have been rustled up from a tin somewhere. Even though it’s probably not the most nutritious of breakfasts, Harry is grateful that is at least warm and he takes the plate and thanks Niall.

Liam and Louis walk away and collect their own plates before coming to sit on the floor with their backs against the sofa. 

“Once I have eaten this I need to go and fetch the car” Liam states. “It will probably take about 10-15 minutes as I will need to scout around to check it’s all clear. Once I get back if possible I need you guys to be ready to go.”

“OK so you best let us clear up from breakfast before you go then” Niall says “We don’t want to leave mouldy plates laying around for Louis to come home to another day”

Liam looks a bit uncomfortable at that comment Harry thinks, and he feels a little on edge by that but than Liam is nodding his head in agreement and everything seems ok.

Soon breakfast is finished, the kitchen is clean and Louis is finishing helping Harry to get dressed. Liam gets up decisively and says “Ok I should get going. Zayn can you watch the monitor and open the gate as soon as you see me pull up. I don’t have my gun and don’t want to run into trouble without it.”

At that Louis appears a bit uncomfortable and Harry sees him looking at Niall, before he says with a hint of hesitation in his voice “Um we might be able to help there Liam”. At that Niall nods and walks over to a cupboard next to the desk, reaching into the back and pulling something out. Harry gasps as he realises it’s a gun! Niall passes it across to Liam silently and Liam nods in return saying “Um thanks, have you er had this all the time?” “Yup” Louis replied. “Well thanks for not shooting me then I guess” Liam replied. “No worries but firstly I don’t think I could actually shoot anyone and secondly even if I could I think we are pretty much on the same side, so…” Louis assures him.

Harry is really grateful to note that Louis holds himself to be non violent. Harry is not keen on bad boys with a love of guns, the Louis he thinks he knows looks after people, well he has been looking after Harry at least anyway. It’s good to think of Liam being on their side, even though he did shoot him in the first place he does get the feeling that he’s been trying to make up for it ever since, dressing his wound and getting the medication and the letter from his mum. Well him and Louis both did the last two things for him. He feels a smile forming as he thinks of it.

Harry is drawn out of his thoughts by Liam saying his goodbyes as he gets ready to leave. He doesn’t miss the small hug that Zayn and Liam exchange by the exit, but then Liam is gone and Zayn and Niall are back over at the monitor watching his progress.

“Ok Harold” Louis is saying to him “Pop your shoes on love. I need you to have a quick practice go with the crutch incase we need you to walk”. Harry swallows, he is not looking forward to this at all. He sits up and swivels himself round until both feet are sitting gently on the ground. Louis helps him slip one foot at a time into the soft Gucci loafers, then passes him the crutch. “OK grab hold of me and let me take your weight as you stand” Louis tells him. So Harry grabs a hold of Louis shirt sides and levers himself upright. The pain is excruciating and he thinks he might actually pass out, but Louis wraps his arms around him, pulling him in tight against his body, holding him up, and Harry finds he can breathe through the pain. 

Louis let’s him breath for a minute as he supports his weight before he pulls back slightly and releases one arm to reach for the crutch which he passes to Harry. “I know it hurts but I need you to try and hold yourself up with the crutch love” Louis says. 

Harry swallows down the bile that seems to have risen up in his throat and reaches for the crutch. He places his weight firmly on his good leg, holding onto Louis with his free hand, and then gently redistributes some of the weight over to the arm that is holding the crutch. It hurts but it’s bearable.

“Ok Harry love” Louis is saying. “Can you try to take some steps for me. I promise I will catch you if you fall” Harry trusts that Louis will do that and with a deep breath he takes a small step, then another. Louis seems pleased with him, which motivates him to take a couple more before easing himself back down onto the sofa for a breather.

“You did great” Louis is beaming at him “Proper brave you are!”

Harry is blushing now at the praise but is soon distracted by Niall shouting out, “Liam’s here, I am opening the gate now, we need to get ready to leave!” 

Harry is swallowing bile down once more. This is it, they have to leave what has begun to feel like their safe haven and pretty much throw themselves on the mercy of the military and Harry cannot help but have a bad feeling about that.

********************************************************************************************************

Liam came racing back through the door as soon as it opened. “Shit I think I was followed, we need to get out of here now!” he shouted as soon as he was fully through. Niall called over from the monitors that he had switched back to the gate view. “Yeah” he said there’s a small crowd outside the gate, looks like is closed before they got there though”.

“Yeah”, said Liam “I stayed until I saw it had closed incase I needed to protect the parameter. I would not have let them get in to you, but we need to go before the crowd gets bigger and they decide to break down the gates. Speaking of which, Louis I am afraid we are going to have to drive through the gates to get out, which means we will be leaving the house unsecured.”

Louis sighs, it’s not ideal but at least he has packed anything of sentimental value in his bag and the safe room will hopefully remain undiscovered too, if they need a safe place to come back too. But something deep in the pit of his stomach tells him that he is not coming back, that once they leave here their lives are changing irreversibly. 

“That’s OK” Louis responds “the main thing is that we get out of here safely. What are the chances of that?” 

“We should be fine” Liam assures him. “The car is heavily armoured and I doubt this crowd has the kind of military spec weaponry that can pierce the armour. We just need to get to the car before they get in here”. 

“Right then lads, that’s out cue to grab our bags and leave. Niall we need to turn the generator off on the way out. Liam, Harry is not going to be able to walk, can you help him?” 

“Sure. Harry I will carry you OK” Liam states, “Zayn can you carry my bag and the gun and come with me please?” Zayn nods eagerly, Louis suspects that following Liam was always his plan anyway.

“OK Niall, grab your bag lets go” Louis yells at Niall as he bends down and picks up his own bag and Harry’s bag. “Harry pass me the crutch love I will take it for you” He said squeezing his arm gently “Stay safe for me hey” he made eye contact for a second before heading to the door and yelling back to Liam. “Meet you at the car, please close the doors as you leave!”

Then he is following Niall down the stairs to the generator room as fast as he can go carrying two heavy bags and the crutch.

They reach the generator room and flick the switch off, plunging the room and the rest of house into the dim emergency lighting that they encountered when they arrived there three days ago. Louis hopes the other boys got the safe room closed off in time. He doesn’t have time to fret about it though as he and Niall need to get to the parking bays. So he heads off in that direction, with Niall following hot on his heels.

They reach the parking area just as the others reach the vehicle. Liam is carrying Harry over his shoulder in a fireman’s lift and Louis cannot see his face where it is pressed against Liam’s back but he imagines the position must hurt. He races over to Liam and helps him to put Harry down by taking his weight so that he doesn’t have to use his wounded leg to steady himself. 

“OK Zayn, you need to ride up front with me as they will recognise you at the base checkpoint, Louis, and Niall you take Harry in the back with you and keep your heads down” Liam instructs, yelling “Go Now!” when they boys appear to hesitate. 

Whilst Liam and Zayn go to the front of the vehicle Niall opens the rear door and scrambles inside, hitching across the seat and then reaching back to guide Harry in. Louis helps Harry to turn around to face the car, and hands him over to Niall squeezing his shoulders slightly as he does, he can feel the tension which he is pretty sure he can put down to Harry being in pain. 

Once Harry is inside Louis climbs in beside him and pulls his torso over his body so that he is able to lie across Louis and Niall’s laps. Harry’s face is scrunched up with pain but once he is lying still it seems to loosen up slightly and he smiles up at Louis. When Harry smiles it’s like the world lights up a little bit and Louis can’t help but smile back at him. They lock eyes like that for a second but then Liam is shouting back to them to “Hold on!” and Liam is putting his foot on the accelerator and speeding toward the exit, which is just now opening up. 

As soon as they are out into the daylight Louis can see the crowd gathered at the gate, it looks like at least a dozen adults and they don’t look like they have come to borrow a friendly cup of sugar. Louis notes with horror that some of them appear to be holding guns.

“Get down” Liam yells “I am going to drive straight at the gates and hope we take them down so brace yourselves!”

Louis presses his chest down onto Harry and Niall does the same breathing out “Shit” in his Irish accent. Louis feels Harry trembling beneath him, as the vehicle lurches forward. There are a couple of beats of silence and then an almighty bang as the car seems to become stationary for a split second before pummelling forward bouncing over an obstacle under the wheels. “It was just the gate” Liam offers in reassurance. Louis is relieved they don’t appear to have run any of the bystanders down until he hears an number of sharp taps on the widow and realises that it is bullets rickoshaying off the glass!!

Liam is not hanging about though, he skids around a corner and suddenly all Louis can hear is the sound of the engine and everyone’s anxious breathing. He glances up and sees Liam’s hands are gripping the steering wheel like a vice, Zayn is gripping Liam’s thigh with a similar intensity to his grip. That’s when Louis realises that he and Harry both have a tight hold on each other’s shirts.

“Whoah that was brutal” Niall says from next to him, a tense grin spreading across his face. “Way to go Liam man!”

“Erm thanks” Liam replies “Not sure we are out of the woods yet, can you keep your heads down but watch for trouble from behind. Zayn and I will watch out in front”

Louis helps Harry to slide down so that he is seated on the floor of the vehicle with his back leaning against the door. That way he can keep his legs out straight whilst Niall and Louis can swivel on their knees to look out of the back and side windows. 

For about 10 minutes all goes well, the streets are empty and traffic free and Liam is able to make progress, despite every now and then having to swerve around the odd abandoned car.

But as they move into one of the more populated parts of the city, they begin to see more and more bodies lining the street. Most appear to have head wounds but some have no obvious wounds at all and are just lying in a way that, were their skin not tinged blue, would suggest they were sleeping. Then Louis catches movement from the corner of his eye and quickly jerks his head around to focus. It’s a drone, and he shouts through to Liam that they have a drone on their tail. 

“Get right down and hide your faces” Liam shouts out “Zayn look to the front and stay cool. I think it’s a military drone” he explains. “They shouldn’t shoot at us but I don’t want to have to explain why I have three additional passengers instead of one until we are safely inside the base.”

Louis and Niall bob their heads down, pressing the side of their faces into the seat. Louis can just make out a bit of the front windscreen. After a couple of tense minutes he feels Liam slow the vehicle and then the drone is hovering in front with what looks like a red lazer light scanning into the vehicle. It reminds him of when they were in Harry’s dorm room hiding from the drone outside the window and he hopes that Liam is right about this one being a military drone.

After what seems like a long 30 seconds the drone lifts upwards leaving the way clear for Liam to drive forward again. “Stay down” Liam warns, “we have company” as Louis sees another armoured vehicle pull in front and hears what sounds like similar pulling up behind. It seems they now have an escort back into the base.

“It’s about 30 minutes to the base” Liam continues. “When we get there let me do the speaking”.   
Louis wonders now if he is right to be placing his trust in Liam, but there is something about his honest brown eyes that makes Louis believe that he is looking out from them. Even so he is anxious that once at the base they will be under military command and he suspects given the recent events that there might be heavy restrictions placed on them. He really hopes they are not separated and that Harry gets the medical care that he needs. 

Louis looks over to Niall. “Are you ok?” he asks his friend and receives a nod back, but he can read concern in Niall’s eyes reflecting that which he is sure is in his own. He looks down to Harry who is looking at him, his own eyes wide with concern. As if on auto pilot and without giving it much thought Louis reaches over to stroke his cheek, pulling his face toward him and gently brushing his lips against his forehead. “Ok Harold?” he asks and Harry nods maintaining eye contact.

The rest of the journey is spent in silence, Louis gently stroking Harry’s hair and sliding the odd comradely look at Niall. 

After about half an hour Louis feels the vehicle slow down and sees that the convoy is passing through some checkpoint style barriers which appear heavily guarded by armed soldiers, and then they are pulling to a halt and someone is banging on Liam’s driver’s side window. 

“Ok lads, just leave the talking to me and do as you are told. I promise I will make sure you are all ok”

He reels the window down then and the soldier on the other side is issuing him the order to open the doors. Next thing Louis knows he is being dragged from the vehicle and his hands are being secured firmly behind his back. As the soldiers go in to grab a hold of Harry, Louis manages to shout “wait please, he’s injured be careful!” He points to the crutch on the back seat and indicates that it’s for Harry. Thankfully the soldiers are more gentle with Harry once they know he’s hurt lifting him out and passing him the crutch before gesturing to him to move to join Louis. Niall has also now been dragged across and all three stand and watch whilst Liam has an animated conversation with the soldier who appears to be in charge, while Zayn stands nervously beside him.

After a few minutes the commanding officer appears to finish his discussion with Liam and walks over to Louis. “Mr Tomlinson?” he enquires. Louis nods “Yes I am Louis Tomlinson” he confirms. “Welcome to RAF Wyton Sir, your father will be pleased to see you” the soldier replies, offering his hand. Louis feels his arms being released from behind his back and he takes this as a signal to proffer his own hand in order to receive a firm handshake. 

“I am Colonel Johnson the other man informs him. Can you and your friends please follow us to the medical centre, we need to get you checked out and it looks like your friend here is in need of some urgent attention.” 

Louis moves over to Harry supporting his crutch free side to help him to walk, something tells him that it is best that Harry gives assurance that he can walk himself and he hopes that the medical centre is not too far. As they follow the colonel Louis notices that Liam and Zayn are being lead away in another direction. It seems that their group is being split up at least for now. He’s grateful though that at least he still has Harry and Niall with him.


	9. Viability

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get darker but we do get some answers
> 
> Warning mention of some serious homophobia and there is a doctor with cold clammy hands

Chapter 9 - Viability

By the time they reach the white tiled room with a row of four beds, which Harry figures must be the medical centre, he feels almost faint with the effort of holding up his own weight. He can tell that he is slumping harder against Louis every second that passes. As the finally enter the room they are greeted by a rather officious looking man in a white lab coat, with a rather greasy looking sweepover not doing a particularly robust job of covering a receding hairline.

“Ah the patients I was told to expect” the white coated man declares as they enter, clapping his hands together expectantly. “Please all hop on a bunk and I can give you a quick check over”, he gestures over to the row of four beds.

At the invitation Niall eagerly jumps up onto the first bed, whilst Louis helps Harry onto the next bed along. It’s a struggle and uses up the last of Harry’s energy but once he is sat with his leg up horizontal the pain does ease a bit. Louis gives his a small smile before moving away and sitting down on a bed of his own, the next one along.

The man appears to be getting some forms out from a cabinet next to the bed Niall has relaxed onto when a couple more military looking men enter the room. As they come in the other man puts down the papers on the end of Niall’s bed while he gives a quick salute. “Colonel, it’s good to see you Sir” he says to the older looking of the two men who just entered. Harry notes that the two appear to have an air of authority, which probably ties in with the fact that at least one of them is a Colonel.

“Ah Dr Bright” the colonel replies, not returning the Doctors salute Harry notes. “Do you have a Louis Tomlinson here?”

“That would be me” Harry hears Louis say from the bed to his left. Although Louis’ voice is loud and clear Harry is beginning to know him well enough to hear the note of nervousness in his tone. He doubts the other men have picked it up though.

“Welcome son” the Colonel says looking pleased and nodding his head curtly in Louis’s direction “Has he had his check Doctor?” he enquires as he turns away from Louis and toward the other man. 

“Not yet Sir, I was just going to get to it” the Doctor replies.

“Well Payne assures me he has not been affected and I know his father is eager for him to go to him to help with his work, so I suggest we do a full health check later in his quarters.” The Colonel turns to Louis “For now Mr Tomlinson you should come with me” he states.

Louis looks concerned at the instruction and turns to Harry and Niall. “What about my friends?” he asks. Harry feels a sinking in his stomach, somehow he knows that the Colonel is issuing an order rather than a request, and that he’s the type of man for whom orders are obeyed. He understands too that this means Louis is to be taken from them. He really hopes they can see each other later he needs to thank him for everything, as he hasn’t had a chance to really.

“Your friend here,” he gestures toward Harry, “looks like he needs urgent medical attention and we need to talk to your Irish friend about options for repatriation home” the Colonel replies. “You can see them later, surely you are eager to see your father now?” Again although the wording is a question the tone is more like a statement of fact and Louis’s face appears to indicate that he too has picked up on that.

Louis nods slowly, and Harry imagines that Louis has a few questions for his father after all, but he can’t help feeling a little hurt at how easily Louis appears to be convinced to go. Louis stands up, brushes down his clothes to straighten them up and walks over to the Colonel and his colleague. Again it’s only because he is starting to know how Louis moves that Harry picks up the slight shaking in his thighs as he walks, he is nervous for certain. However when he speaks any nerves are well hidden, “Ok lead the way then” he says. 

Louis follows the two men to the door, but just before he exits, as the two men ahead of him round the corner into the hall and the doctor bends down to pick up his papers from Niall’s bed, Louis looks back to Harry with clear concern in his eyes and makes a small waving gesture before mouthing what looks to be the words “stay safe”. Then he’s gone and the Doctor is striding towards Harry with purposeful strides. 

The Doctor first asks for Harry’s name and address, which he provides, he states that he will call up Harry’s health records. The Doctor enters the information Harry has provided into a handheld tablet device , which he has picked up from the cabinet next to Harry’s bed, and appears to pull up some sort of record. 

Harry is slightly confused by this, he studied the General Data Protection Regulations as part of his photography course, particularly in relation to consent to share photos and personal information, it was aimed at those on the course seeking a career in journalism. He remembers learning that health records were the most confidential of all in the UK and he is pretty sure this soldier should not have automatic access to his records in this way. Yet he reads out to Harry information about his age, blood type etc for confirmation. He also notes Harry’s mother and sisters names which Harry confirms back. 

When the Doctor appears to have exhausted the existing data he has on record, he asks Harry about where he was on the night of the lights, Harry runs through the facts of the dark room and having met up with Niall and Harry to go to Louis’s house, he hopes that information is OK to share. 

The Doctor just nods and makes some notes in the tablet before he passes Harry a surgical gown and suggests he undress so that he can examine his leg, and check for any other injuries.

Whilst Harry undresses, a little self consciously as there are no curtains to pull across for privacy, the Doctor goes over to Niall and asks a few questions, he does not appear to have a record for Niall, perhaps because he is Irish and just here for school? 

Harry can hear the conversation as Niall is asked what school he’s at, how long he’s been there, where in Ireland he is from and his parent’s names. The Doctor writes down all the details and informs Niall that they will contact the Irish authorities and see if they can track down his parents. 

Niall asks if the lights and blindness had hit Ireland too and the Doctor replies “Yes son, it was a worldwide phenomenon, which brings me to my next question, did you see the lights?” At that Niall looks slightly sheepish and responds as Harry already knows “Nah I was sleeping off the mother of hangovers in my dorm with the blackout blind down, only woke up when I heard Harry here come back to his dorm from downstairs”

The Doctor nods and then surprises Harry by saying. “In that case I need to take some blood to test for immunity then?” 

Without thinking Harry asks “Are people immune then?” The Doctor nods “Yes son he replies, it seems that some people are not affected by the lights, we have narrowed it down to a certain DNA marker, which incidentally according to your health record you and your family all have”. 

Initially Harry feels a kind of relief at this, but then he starts to wonder how the military can possibly have identified an immunity marker so quickly, he is not a scientist of course but all the documentaries he has watched on genome research has suggested locating specific immunity genes takes a great deal of research time. I decides it’s prudent not to ask questions though. 

Instead Harry finishes changing into the gown and climbs back onto his bed to watch the Doctor remove a syringe of Niall’s blood and place it into a machine across the room. Then he rejoins Harry, while that’s working it’s magic, let’s have a look at that leg. The Doctor moves the gown to the side, exposing Harry’s thigh and to his mortification, a little too much of his genitalia in the process. Harry is grateful that the Doctors body is obstructing Niall from accidentally getting an eyeful. 

The Doctor places his clammy hands on just above the bullet hole on Harry’s thighs. “Ok I am going to check for surrounding swelling and infection first he states. If I touch you and you feel any pain just shout out ok” Harry nods, for some reason he does not like the idea of being touched by the Doctor but he reprimands himself in his head, he is just doing his job after all. Harry grits his teeth as the Doctor moves his hands around various areas of his leg, only wincing and reporting pain when the Doctor touches areas right next to the wound itself. 

After the examination of his leg the Doctor looks satisfied, “No Infection” he says “You should make a full recovery quite quickly, which is good. Now I just need to check for any other injuries”. The Doctor moves open the rest of the gown, an rakes his eyes over Harry’s chest and torso and then his over leg, thankfully he doesn’t place his sweaty hands on Harry again but it still makes Harry’s skin crawl a bit and brings and uncomfortable flush to his face. Noticing his discomfort the Doctor smirks a little and says, “no need to be embarrassed young man, it’s just a routine check as you have an injury and I need to make sure there is no other damage”.

Harry considers the word “damage” is strange one to pick, it makes him sound a bit like a commodity rather than a person. Harry’s attention is pulled back to the Doctor as he is covering Harry back over with his gown once more, patting him on his chest in what Harry assumes is meant to be a reassuring way. “Excellent” he states. “Now let’s look at the other young man’s blood results shall we?” 

The Doctor returns to the machine in which Niall’s blood was inserted and presses a few buttons whilst viewing a display screen. After a couple of minutes, he turns to Niall and says “Good news Mr Horan, it appears you have the immunity marker”. Niall looks pleased at that and asks, “Does that mean that mean my family would too?” 

The Doctor nods, it’s recessive gene so it’s very likely at least one of your parents and probably both do. You are lucky is quite a rare gene.” Niall looks relieved, and Harry guesses it’s because it means his parents might be unharmed in Ireland. 

“Ok says the Doctor” there is just a little more information we need to collect from you both now, it’s just a bit of general background to help us decide on the best place for you to stay throughout the current crisis, a skills assessment etc. He picks up the papers that he had placed down earlier when the Colonel had come for Louis and comes over to Harry. 

He asks Harry questions around hobbies and general fitness, the subjects he was studying in school, sleeping habits, dietary preferences and finally sexuality. Before Harry can answer that one though, Niall has laughed loudly from the other side of the room and said out loud “Straight, Harry’s a bit of a lady’s man at college”. Harry looks up slightly taken aback but he reads a warning in Niall’s eyes and decides it is best to go along with him for now. He nods at the Doctor as he marks down straight, although he does turn back to Niall and state “I think ladies man is stretching the truth slightly”. At that the Doctor smirks and gives him a knowing wink, just can’t help but charm the skirt huh” he says “oh to be young again!”.

The Doctor must have reached the end of the questions then as he moves over to Niall’s bed and completes the process. As far as Harry knows Niall is not lying about his own sexuality when he says he is straight though. He wonders if Niall really is an avid golfer and rugby player as he has declared though?

Once he has completed the questionnaires for both boys the Doctor picks up his papers and announces that he is just popping out to communicate the results and get someone on to finding the boys a suitable bunk for the time being. With that he leaves the boys alone in the room.

Niall quickly slides off his bed and comes over to Harry. Before Harry can ask him what the hell the lie about him being a womaniser was all about Niall places his finger to his lips. He speaks to Harry in a soft whisper. “I saw the title of that questionnaire when the Doctor put it down on my bed” he explains softly “It said Viability Questionnaire! Now I am not saying for certain but if that was a test to see whether we warranted being able to stay or not, then I am guessing that being straight if a better factor for this environment than being gay, it’s a gut feeling”

Harry is stunned, “Well that’s a bit prejudiced Niall” Harry whispers with indignation. “Well I seem to recall that the UK military does not have a long and glorious history of inclusivity and equality” he states “and I was picking up some definite old school conservative vibes from the Colonel chappy”. Niall might have a point there Harry concedes.

“I think we need to keep our heads down and go with the flow until we can figure out what is going on here” Niall suggests as he slides back off the bed. Harry nods and watches as Niall returns to his own bed before the Doctor can return and suspect they have hd this discussion.

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Louis follows the Colonel and the other soldier in silence as they pass through a maze of corridors empty of other occupants, every now and then they stop to wave a security pass against an electronic console for access to the next equally empty corridor. They finally enter a corridor which looks a bit more lived in than some of the others, there are people walking around in civilian clothes carrying china mugs and talking to one another. About halfway down the corridor they stop at a door that appears to have a guard posted outside. The guard salutes the Colonel and steps to the side to allow him access to the door. 

The Colonel steps up to the door and knocks loudly. Louis heart jumps into his mouth when he hears his father’s voice call out “Come in” in response.

“Go on in then” the Colonel commands more than suggests “I am sure you are eager to see your Dad!” Louis nods and turns the handle, pushing the door open.

The moment Louis is inside his father is rushing towards him and engulfing him in a tight hug. “God Louis I was so worried” he exclaimed. 

“Yeah right” Louis suddenly feels petulant “That’s why you didn’t wait for me, or drop by school to pick me up on your way here!” he spat out. He felt his father’s hands firmly grip his shoulders and hold him away from him a bit so that they made eye contact. Louis looks directly into his Dad’s eyes trying to communicate all the anger he feels welling up inside.

“Listen here Louis” his father says firmly and with anger in his own voice, anger which does not however reach his eyes. “I told you to be home for three but you defied me, I did not know where you were, we sent drones to the college to look but didn’t find you. I was really concerned you might be foolish enough to look at the lights. No one is more relieved to have you here safe!”

“Wait” Louis said when the words had sunk in. “The drones that came to college, you sent them? But they were alien! They killed people!!!” 

“They were not alien Louis, you know that really don’t you.” his Dad said calmly “You know what the tech my company builds! The drones were sent to look for you, and yes they did kill people but those people were dying anyway the drones were programmed to end the suffering of those who looked to be in panic and pain, we needed to minimise the risk to those who were unaffected!” 

Louis felt his heart in his mouth, no he did not know those drones were his father’s and was his father really just calmly talking about mass murder, mass euthanasia at best! He is just about to lose it and scream at his father, when he looks again properly into his eyes. There he sees something that makes his blood run cold. It looks a lot like fear and desperation. His father raises a finger to his lips and silently mouths the word, “please”.

Then his father is speaking in a calm rational voice again. “I know you are probably stressed at having seen that Louis, what is the right thing to do is not always easy. We can talk again soon but for now I think you need to have a shower, if I am honest you don’t smell too good right now”. 

Louis is going to argue but the warning in his father’s eyes stalls him, and he can’t deny he would really like a shower. So he nods and walks to the door that his father is pointing out.  
When he enters the bathroom he walks over to the large mirror above the sink and just stares for a few moments, trying to straighten out the confusion in his head. He doesn’t get long to do so however, before his father enters and is cheerily telling Louis he is going to switch the shower on for him because the controls are tricky. He’s the son of a tech magnet for god’s sake, he’s sure he can work a shower. However he watches as his dad turns the pressure and heat right up, filling the room with the sound of pounding water and a growing mist of steam.

His father grabs his arms then and holds him in place until the mirror is steamed up. Once its impossible to see any reflection in the mirror because of the moisture in the air he releases Louis’ arms and moves to sit on the toilet seat. 

“I am so sorry Louis” his father says quietly “the rooms are bugged and it’s not safe to talk. You are alive because I told them you work with me at home and I need you to help build what they want, I can’t keep you safe if they think you are a threat so I had to speak as if I believe in their cause and was convinced you would too! 

“Where’s mum and the girls?” Louis asks, suddenly really concerned for the rest of his family. “They have them at a base up near Doncaster” his father replies, looking upset. “I tried so hard to pretend they weren’t important to me to keep them safe, but they have been threatening to harm them for years now, it’s why I have been working for them, so they left you and them alone. 

Now they have gone ahead with the first phase of the plan though they don’t need me as much, we need to try harder to appear of value, otherwise they will not think twice before disposing of us. They have me working on remote surveillance drone tech and tracking chips, which they hope to use to reclaim order from the chaos out there. I told them you know how to design the tracking devices and that I need you to help me mass produce the technology they need. I knew it would buy us some time and get them to ensure your safety.”

“What’s going on, what was phase one, is there a phase two?” Louis whispers.

“It’s a long story and we haven’t got much time right now. They will get suspicious if we are in here too long.” his father replies. “To summarise though there is a worldwide movement to try to redress the over-population of the planet. My tech company was working on health tech, miniature drones that could be sent into the body to attack cancerous cells. When the genome centre discovered the genes that made people susceptible to cancer, we started looking at how we might attack those genes too, in order to prevent the cancer in the first place. But instead of simply attacking the gene, we accidentally found a light source that entirely breaks down the DNA of people with the cancer gene.”

Louis’s mouth drops open, this is huge and he had no idea that was his Dad’s company’s line of work.

“The world leaders were recognising that the current volume of life on the planet was unsustainable. When they realised that we might have a way to eliminate a large number of people, and also potentially irradicate cancer they asked me to expand my research into that. At first I was appalled and refused but they pointed out that my family had the gene and could be easily disposed of if i didn’t help. They have been creating a register of those without the gene for years now, it’s about 10% of the population. I honestly thought they wouldn’t go through with it, but they came to me three days ago and told me that the day had come. They let me leave the note for you and promised to fetch you before they brought me here!”

Louis thinks he might be sick, he feels the bial climbing up his throat. His dad is shaking his arm though. “Louis we have to pretend to be on board with this, until we can get to your mum and sisters. I need you to pretend really hard for me, please” he begs.

Louis nods numbly, he knows he needs to at least buy some time, he needs to find Niall and Harry and figure out an escape plan for one thing. He’s certainly not planning to help his Dad in his work.

“One more thing” Louis’ Dad says. “These guys are now looking to create a new world order for what they believe is a better planet, they are fanatical and have some very right wing views. They don’t see a role in their new order for gays, you must not let on that you are not straight.”

Louis is suddenly even more appalled, who are these psychopaths? But then he is scared! Harry! Harry is definitely not straight, and he’s having a medical right now, what if he says something, is so bloody innocent, he would never think twice before confirming his sexuality if asked, I mean why should he?

“Dad my friend, Harry!” he exclaims. His father seems to get it as he exclaims “shit”. “We have to warn him Dad, I brought him here, i am responsible for keeping him safe!”

“OK I will fetch Zayn, perhaps he can help, you need to get in the shower so they won’t be suspicious if they call in!”

Louis grabs his dad’s arm “Please Dad, please! He exclaims as tears begin to run down his face”. His Dad wraps him in his arms and softly reassures him, “it’s ok we will sort it out I promise” he whispers before exiting the room, to call for Zayn, Louis hopes.

Sobbing as quietly as he can so as not to be heard, Louis climbs into the shower and just lets the hot water pour over him. He is still fully clothed. But he doesn’t care he needs to wash away his disgust at what he has just learnt.


	10. Trackers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We learn about phase 1-3 of the master plan.

Chapter 10 - Trackers

Dr Bright returned to the medical centre about 20 minutes after leaving, carrying a white ceramic mug in each hand. “Hey lads, they found you somewhere to bunk for the night, it shouldn’t take them long to fix it up for you. In the meantime I thought you might appreciate a mug of tea. Harry I also would like to quickly pop you on a drip to rehydrate you before you leave the centre”

Harry gratefully took the mug of tea, he was really quite thirsty and did not even really mind that it looked to be stronger than he would usually make. His mum always used to joke that he only showed the cup the tea bag! He took a few tentative sips and then relaxed back into the pillow as the doctor inserted an IV drip into his hand. “It should only take about and hour to go through and then we can get you on your way, I will have them bring a wheelchair to transfer you so you can keep your weight off your bad leg.”

“Oh one more thing” the Doctor continued, “We aren’t sure how long the medical records system might stay on line so we have downloaded your records onto a small chip which we are going to insert into the skin of you forearm for safety. We are doing it for anyone we find to be immune as it’s a quick way to let any other medical carer you might come across know.”

“What chipped like vets chip a dog!” Niall asked, sounding almost appalled.

“Sort of just like like that yes” said Dr Bright, similar technology has been used for diabetics and people suffering from epilepsy for some time so that if found unconscious medical practitioners could know the likely cause and treat quickly and appropriately”.

“But if it’s normally used for people who are ill why give it to us when we are immune?” Niall asked.

“Ah well those who aren’t immune aren’t likely to be around for long enough to benefit” the Doctor replied, rather too calmly.

“What?!?” said Harry, the cold feeling creeping into his stomach again. 

“I am sorry to have to tell you son” said the Doctor, although Harry noted he did not look particularly sorry. “But we are getting reports that those affected by the lights have started to collapse. It seems that the blindness is an early symptom of a brain hemorrhage. It appears that the blindness lasts a maximum of 24 hours before people become confused and agitated and then fall unconscious. The last couple of days has seen thousands just collapse, it’s all the troops can do to clear the bodies off the streets”

“That’s awful!” exclaimed Harry, he could feel himself starting to shake, all those people he had seen on the streets, all of them were dying? He can’t wrap his head around that, surely the Doctor is wrong?

“Yes it’s a worldwide tragedy” the doctor responded in a flat emotionless voice as he walked over to the counter on the other side of the room and picked up something that looked similar to the gun Harry remembered having his ear pierced with about 6 months ago. 

The Doctor walked over to Harry with the gun. “This might sting a bit but nothing like a bullet wound I promise” he said with a wink, before pushing the gun against Harry’s forearm and firing the small chip up under his skin. It did smart, but only for a second and then all that was left was a pin prick sized entry wound and small lump under his skin. 

“There you go, nothing to worry about” the Doctor said cheerfully as he went over to Niall and repeated the procedure. 

When he had finished and Niall was rubbing at his arm the Doctor replaced the gun and turned to the boys. “Ok I will be off now, someone will come to collect you in a while, stay safe, and I hope not to see you here in the medical centre again!”

With a nonchalant wave he left the room.

“Fuck” was Niall’s eloquent summary of that update. “This is fucked up Harry” he continued. Harry wanted to reply but suddenly his eyes had become really heavy and he was struggling to actually stay alert. He blinked his eyes rapidly to try to stay focussed and could hear the distant sound of Niall saying “Harry I don’t feel so good I think there might be something in this tea!” He tried to respond, he really did but his lips did not want to follow his instructions to form the words and a greyness had started to creep in. Harry was vaguely aware of a sense of deja vu before he was no longer aware of anything.

 

Harry awoke to a faint tugging in his hand, not a painful one but slightly uncomfortable. He blinked open his heavy eyelids to see a young man in military gear removing the IV drip the Doctor had inserted earlier. Noticing that Harry was now awake, the young man nodded politely at him. “Hello, Harry is it? We’ve come to take you and Niall to your bunk room now”. 

Before Harry can reply he hears Niall’s disgruntled voice saying “You fuckers drugged us!” 

The soldier looked up in Niall’s direction and calmly replied “The Doctor subscribed a little sleep aid to go in your tea, you had a tough day and needed your rest. We brought you both a wheelchair to get you to the dorm room incase your legs are a little shaky.”

The soldier pointed to a wheelchair at the side of the bed and made to help Harry sit up in order to transfer into it. “I understand you have a gunshot wound in your leg, do you require assistance?” he asked.

Harry felt his head starting to clear, and with that clarity he figured it was unwise to show weakness. He shook his head and gritted his teeth as he transferred himself successfully. Niall was also waving away assistance and climbing into the chair unaided. 

Once they were both safely seated the two soldiers charged with their escort began to push them from the room. Harry suddenly remembered his crutch and yelled for them to wait and fetch it for him. It was brought across to him and he held in over his lap as they continued on their way. 

They were pushed down endless corridors, sometimes seeing one or two people walking along, but mostly empty with bland grey walls. After what must have been half an hour they stopped at a door and the soldier pushing Niall knocked sharply. After a few seconds the door opened and a slightly older looking ginger haired man stood there looking quizzical. “Ah Sheeran” the soldier acknowledged, “we’ve got a couple of roommates for you and Mendes, try to make them feel welcome. Styles here has a bit of an injury but he should live!.”

The red head moved to the side and Niall and Harry were pushed into a sparsely furnished room, with two sets of bunks, what looked to be a small ensuite shower room and a clothes rail. There was a young dark haired boy of probably around 17 sat on one of the bunks but he shot up in alarm at the entrance of Harry and Niall and moved to stand behind his room mate.

The soldiers aided Harry onto a bottom bunk. Niall refused any aid and stood up across the room from the other two men and the escorts left, taking the empty wheelchairs with them.

“Ed” the dark haired lad said once the door was firmly closed, “these two came here with Tomlinson’s son. I saw them when I was scouting the reception area this morning”.

“Is this true?” the one apparently called Ed asked warily. 

“Yes” said Niall “we go to college with Louis and were with him when the soldier, Liam, turned up to pick him up, he shot Harry!” For some reason Niall seemed to be playing down his friendship with Louis and Harry was not quite sure why, but he had learned that it was probably best to play along with Niall in situations like this.

On hearing this Ed moved over toward them, and Harry flinched as he grabbed his forearm looking at the spot where the chip was injected earlier. “You got trackers then I see” he stated. 

“Trackers?” Harry couldn’t help but ask. “The Doctor said it was a health record chip”.

“That’s what they say” said Ed, “but Shawn overheard some of the science types saying that the chips are trackers so they can find us if we go missing. I am guessing it’s also so they can monitor our movements. More of your mates tech, like the drones and those lights!”

“Wait Louis had nothing to do with those lights” Harry exclaimed “and surely neither did his dad!”

“Well word here is that Tomlinson is the mastermind of the attacks and that his son is a key developer along with that Zayn kid” 

Harry’s heart is racing in his chest. That can’t be right! The Louis he has come to know these last few days is gentle and caring. But the Louis he thought he knew would not have left him and Niall alone in the medical centre to get drugged and chipped and yet that has happened. Harry knows he trusts people too quickly, gives his heart out to be trampled, but this time had felt so different, surely he wasn’t wrong. 

He glances at Niall who glares back at him furiously. “Harry if, after everything Louis has done for you these past few days, you can believe that he could be involved willingly in genocide then I might have to fight you even if you are wounded!” 

At that he looks to Ed and Shawn and says “Look I don’t know what people here are saying and I don’t much care, but I can tell you I have been best friends with Louis for 6 years now and he would not hurt a bug intentionally let alone be involved in anything like you are describing. There has to be another explanation and believe me I am going to find it!!!”

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

Louis finally emerged from his shower, having calmed down at least enough to stop the tears free falling down his face. He wrapped himself in towels, one around his waist and one around his shoulders and took a deep breath before leaving the room to face his dad again.

To his surprise he was instead met by Zayn who was pacing in the lounge. “About time” Zayn exclaimed in exasperation. “I have been waiting for at least 15 minutes for you to get out of that shower, your Dad sent me to fetch you, you’re needed in the lab!” 

Louis was about to ask what in the world his father would need him for in the lab, when he noticed that Zayn had brought his finger to his lips as if warning Louis not to object. So instead of questioning the request Louis instead just nodded and said “Ok give me five minutes to get dressed”. He went over to his rucksack and pulling out some clean clothes and throwing them on as quickly as he could whilst Zayn deliberately looked the other way to preserve his modesty.

Once Louis was fully dressed Zayn led him out of the room, and to the lab. It wasn’t far to walk as it happened, just two doors down the corridor from his father’s apartment. Zayn used his security card to open the door and they walked into a cluttered room where Louis’s father was busy at a workbench. There wasn’t anyone else in the room and his father turned around as soon as the door had closed behind them.

“It’s safe to talk here” Zayn said from beside him. “All the apartments and common rooms are we think bugged but the bugs interfere with the tech here so it has to be a bug free zone. It’s a high security area and only military, your father and I are allowed in, well you also now as they think you are a technician too.”

“So dad said” Louis responded but I still don’t understand why and what’s going on. 

“Come over to the bench son” his Dad beckoned, “we need to look busy incase anyone comes in. I can fill you in a bit more”

Louis walked over to the bench, which appeared to be full of small cylindrical chips. He had his father on one side and Zayn on the other so they could talk quietly and to anyone entering the room it would look like they were discussing their work.

“The plan was supposed to go in three phases, spaced apart” his father began. “Firstly the lights would trigger a brain hemorrhage in those not immune, we expected a major bleed which would kill within minutes, but we didn’t properly factor in the effect of the lunar light from the full moon the night the lights were released. It diluted the frequency of the lights and although there was hemorrhaging it was slow and has meant a longer,creeping death for those affected” 

His father sighed “I warned them not to go ahead with phase 1 until we were ready with phase 2, I tried so hard to stall them! But they were determined that the population would take time to mourn their friends and family and that civil unrest would not happen for a while and they went ahead anyway. The erratic behaviour of those affected in the early stages of the hemorrhaging though has lead to riots and unrest. Personally I also suspect there has been someone feeding the suggestion to the population at large that the military is somehow involved with the lights.” 

“So what is phase 2” Louis queried, phase 1 was sickening enough he dreaded to think what the next actions would bring and how his father and Zayn were involved.

“The military knew that they would have to take control in order to ensure the order could be re-established quickly. Phase two was rounding up the people with immunity, for whom they have been building up a register for years now. They would bring them to military bases and undertake viability testing and then fitting of tracking chips.”

“What is viability testing?” Louis asked with cold dread. 

“Well they never said it in so many words but Zayn and I fear that it means that anyone found to have long term ailments, criminal tendencies or other characteristics which those in charge do not wish to see in the new order will be separated out.”

“By separated out, what do you mean exactly?” asked Louis. 

“Well” said his father I don’t think they plan on killing them outright because they need labourers to run the power stations etc. I think the plan is to use anyone they don’t want out in society in isolated enforced labour. They have us trying to adapt these tracking chips so that we can control the actions of those implanted”. 

“How could you do that?” 

“Well with this switch here” Louis’ dad picked up one of the tiny chips and pressed the top down, what looked like a small propeller popped out of the bottom. “The chip is activated and pushes itself into the host’s bloodstream, it travels around the blood vessels until it reaches the brain and then attaches to the brain stem. This allows anyone with access to the chip control frequency to be able to send messages to control the hosts actions by shocking the brain to cause pain, stimulate movement or even cause instant unconsciousness, a strong enough pulse can even cause death.”

“So phase 2 is to chip the survivors so they can be controlled?” Louis asked uncertainly. 

“Yes responded his father, but the chips aren’t working properly yet, or at least we are trying to ensure they don’t, but I don’t know how long we can continue to stall though. I told them that you were the one who had developed the brain stem messaging tech, it’s why they were so determined to find you. Now you are here though they are going to expect progress!”

“I hardly dare ask” said Louis “But you said there were three phases?” 

“Yes phase three is the setting up of the new colonies. The population will be too small to run the number of cities we currently have so strategic locations have been chosen for the new cities. The cities will be populated with a balanced mix of skills and, under the watchful eye of the military, life will continue”

“It all sounds slightly idyllic” Zayn joins in “Excepting these people have very fixed opinions about how the people should live, what sports should be played, what work people should do and nuclear families with hetrosexual law abiding parents, and with the help of these tracker chips any non conformity might be dealt with in a very final way!”

Louis’s heart is thumping in his chest. “How can we stop this?” he asked, “We can’t be responsible for this happening.”

Louis’s father looked sad then. “Son I already have the guilt of genocide on my shoulders, I invented the technology that has been responsible for the death of so many. But I will not let you have any involvement in that. I need to get you away from here. Zayn has heard there is a resistance movement establishing itself out there, we wonder if we might be able to get you to them. If we could stage an attack on the base it might not even look suspicious and put your mother and sisters at risk.”

“Shit for a minute I forgot they have mum and the girls. Are you sure they are safe?”

“I hope so”. his dad said sadly, “I haven’t heard from them since I was told they had been picked up”

“Perhaps Louis could ask to speak to them” Zayn suggested “If the Colonel thought it might help with his work he might allow it”

“That’s not a bad idea” Louis’ father reflected, I will try to ask him later.

Just then the sound of the doors opening behind made them jump! 

They all tensed up, pretending to be intent on something they were working on together until they heard a familiar voice.

“Hey Z, Hey Louis” Liam called as he entered the room fully, letting the door slide shut behind him. 

“Liam” Zayn called throwing himself into a hug with the slightly shocked boy. Louis raised his eyebrows, it seemed this relationship had moved forward somehow since the safe room at his house.

“Hi Z” Liam said again gently petting his hair in the hug before releasing him. “Best to let go incase anyone comes in” Liam said. “I am not really supposed to be here but I thought you might want an update on Niall and Harry”

“Yes!” Louis exclaimed. “Are they Ok? Where are they? Can I see them?”

“They are ok. Apparently they passed their medical testing and have been moved to one of the resettlement dorms”

“Resettlement dorms?” Louis queried still anxious.

“Yes they are gathering people here at the base ready to ship them out to the resettlement camps when they are ready” Liam said, “I think Harry and Niall are down to be shipped up north to Sheffield, I checked the destination for their room on the computer when I tracked them down.”

“Li can we trust you? Zayn asked. 

“Well that depends Z” Liam said slowly. “You can trust me not to say anything that will get you into trouble. I care about you and I will do my best to keep you safe. I can’t help you do anything illegal though.”

“Zayn I think you should tell Liam everything you just told me” Louis said “From what I have seen Liam is not the kind of guy that will condone the actions of his commanders”.

Zayn nodded slowly and Louis sat and listened as Zayn and his father related once more the three phase plan and their role in it. By the end of the conversation Liam looked pale. “I knew this thing with the lights and drones wasn’t right.” 

Zayn squeezed his shoulder. “It’s fucked up Liam I know, and I have played a huge part in that and I understand if you are disgusted with me, but we need your help, Louis needs your help.”

“What do you need?” Liam asked “I would do anything to stop this plan escalating. We need to stop phase 2 somehow!”

“The Colonel believes we need Louis to get the tracker chips fully operational Liam” Zayn says “We need to get Louis out of here, can you help?” 

“I don’t know Z” Liam replied, I have more freedom of movement than you do, but I am still sure I would not be able to get off the base without good reason, and I can’t imagine getting Louis out with me.”

“We were thinking of maybe getting the resistance to take me.” Louis said, although he was not keen on handing himself over to some strangers who believed he was in someway involved in the deaths of their loved ones.

“OK” Liam said “I will ask around and see if I can find anything out about the resistance. I better go now I don’t want to draw unwanted attention.”

“OK” Zayn said sadly.

“Come here” said Liam beckoning him over. He opened his arms and held him tight. “I know this isn’t you Zayn” he said and kissed him quickly on the head before releasing him and leaving.

Louis watched him go sadly. He had so badly wanted to ask him to take him to Harry and Niall but he knew that it was too risky and he would have to accept that stopping phase 2 needed to be his priority now.


	11. Resistance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Resistance is hopefully not futile

Chapter 11 - Resistance 

The experience of having breakfast in the large base canteen was a little overwhelming for Harry, having spent his last few days in limited company. There must have been at least 150 people in the canteen, a mixture of soldiers and civilians. Harry wondered hopefully if he might see Louis if he came for breakfast, although when he had mentioned that to Ed and Shawn they had told him that Tomlinson never used the canteen, so they did not expect that Louis would either.

They had talked a little with Ed and Shawn the night before but Harry and Niall had still been tired from the after effects of the sedatives they had been given in the medical centre. They had collapsed into their beds early and slept through until they were roused by Ed telling them that the window during which breakfast is served was edging toward a close and they needed to get going now if they wanted to have some.

That brought Harry to where he is now, sat across from Ed and Shawn, and next to Niall at the canteen bench tucking into sausage, eggs and bacon while people noisily did the same all around them. Harry was shocked at how good humoured the general banter in the room appeared to be in the circumstances. He said as much to the other boys on his table.

“I don’t think many here know what’s going on outside really” Shawn replied. “The soldiers go out on patrol and supply runs but they have orders not to stop or engage with anyone outside.” 

“But Dr Bright said the troops were out clearing away the bodies” Harry queried “Surely they see what is happening out there then?”

Shawn looked slightly sickened at that. “I don’t think they have troops out there doing that.” he said “I hide in the air vent shaft above the Colonel’s office, it’s where i get my information. I heard them talking about how they are sending the drones our to basically incinerate any bodies in the streets! It feels like they know that if the troops knew how bad it was and suspected that their commanders had any kind of role in what has happened, they don’t have confidence in the troops continued loyalty.”

“Well how do they anticipate handling that in the long term?” Harry wondered “Surely if what Dr Bright said is true it can’t be kept under wraps forever.”

“The Colonel keeps mentioning Phase 2 and how it’s the solution. Your friend Louis is key to it whatever it is, it seems from what I have heard.!”

“I am still telling you straight Louis would never be involved in this!” Niall hissed across the table.

Harry was just reflecting that he wished he could be as sure of that as Niall was, when he heard a familiar voice behind him.

“Lads you need to keep your voices down here!” 

Across the table Harry could see fear flash through Ed and Shawn’s faces like they had been caught out. But Harry knew that voice and he swung his chair round before flinging himself at Liam, dodgy leg be damned!

“Liam” oh my god it’s good to see you! “Have you seen Louis and Zayn? Are they ok?”

Liam wrapped his arms around Harry pulling him to him and whispering quietly in his ear “They are ok for now but I really need to talk to you and Niall in private!” He released Harry and turned to Niall, as if nothing was up and shook his hand saying “Good to see you Niall”.

Harry was not sure that Liam wanted anyone to know what he had just whispered to him so he decided to act casual, despite the thumping anxiety in his chest. 

“Liam these are our roommates Ed and Shawn. Ed, Shawn this is Liam the soldier who brought us here and my former nurse, he fixed up my leg” 

“Well he did shoot you in the first place” Niall reflected back. 

“ A misunderstanding” Harry commented generously, he did not want Ed and Shawn to think badly of Liam. He knew that Liam really regretted his actions and from what he had learned of Liam in their time together he was both brave and loyal and Harry was pretty sure that with the world as it currently is that was the kind of friend he needed to keep. Also he had news of Louis and Harry needed to hear that badly he realised.

“You guys fancy a bit of a tour of the base?” Liam asked, looking pointedly at Harry.

“Yes that would be good, Niall you going to come and push my wheelchair?” Harry replied, knowing that Liam had said he wanted to speak to them both.

“Sure thing” Niall said pushing himself to his feet, “catch you later” he said across the table to Ed and Shawn.

“Good to meet you” Liam said in the measured polite way that was so very much him.

Then they were navigating their way across the canteen and out into the corridor. “Ok follow me” Liam requested before striding forward. He led them down a few corridors in silence before they reached a large door that opened into what appeared to a courtyard smoking area. Liam walked them over to a picnic bench in the middle of the area and sat down, he pulled out his phone and scrolled through to his downloaded music before putting on something with a popular beat which Harry vaguely recognised.

Liam gestured toward his phone, saying “In case it’s bugged out here, it will make it more difficult for us to be overheard.”

Niall wheeled Harry up to the bench and then plonked himself down on the seat across from where Liam was also easing himself down. 

“I went to see Louis and his dad at the lab last night” Liam starts to explain “I found out some things that I swear to you I did not know before. Apparently Louis’ dad is behind the lights attack, he invented the weapon which was used.” 

“Oh my God!” Harry can’t help but exclaim. “Did Louis know? Was he involved?” he feels sick to his stomach.

“No listen, the Colonel has Louis’ mother and sisters in custody and is using them to blackmail his father to cooperate. To try and stall progress Mr Tomlinson told the Colonel that he needs Louis to complete the research. They are trying to perfect some sort of mind control device to keep power over all the survivors, and instill some sort of warped new world order. With Louis being here there is no excuse for the research not to progress and both Louis his father won’t refuse to help because they are protecting his family. It’s really fucked up and Zayn has been dragged into this shit show” he now sounds really angry “I said I would help try to get Louis away from the base in a way that would not make it seem like they had planned it.”

Harry feels shaky, his Louis, well not his Louis perhaps but Louis, kind hearted wonderful Louis, being connected to causing the deaths of thousands and now mind control, what even is that? He feels wobbly like he’s losing his sanity, he hopes it’s not a panic attack!

“How are you planning to do it?” It’s Niall speaking “Get Louis off the base I mean?”

“Mr Tomlinson suggested we have the resistance snatch him” Liam responds.

“Wait there’s a resistance? What if they decide to take the threat of Louis off the table in a permanent way if they get their hands on him” Harry asks suddenly realising the danger that Louis is in. If he stays here and helps the Colonel he will lose his soul to the guilt, if he refuses to help he loses his mum and sisters potentially and if he throws himself on the mercy of whoever these resistance types are he might lose his life!

I am planning to speak to the resistance if I can to make sure they realise the value of keeping Louis alive. If he really had that technical knowledge you would want him on you side I am guessing.

“And does he?” Harry is almost too scared to ask, “does he really secretly work for his dad?”

“No he fucking does not” Niall says sharply “I have already told you, that is very definitely not who Louis is!” 

“Watch what you are saying” Liam angrily snaps “Zayn works with Louis’ dad and he’s not a bad person. He’s just loyal to his boss and he’s got sucked into this mess too deep.”

Harry reached across to Liam to stroke his arm to calm him. “I think our roommates know about the resistance he offers”

“Do they?” Liam sounds more hopeful “Can they be trusted?”

“I am not sure but i think so” Harry replies honestly. 

“Ok let’s go speak to them then” Liam says with purpose and he flicks his music off and stands up.

This time Liam pushed Harry as Niall led the way to their dorm, Harry is not sure if Ed and Shawn will be there but he had no idea where else they could look, given the canteen breakfast window had now ended.

They reached the door and Niall gave a polite knock in warning before they entered. 

Ed and Shawn had it seemed been having a conversation before they entered, as they were both sat on Eds bed and swung round towards the door looking slightly guilty. When they saw Liam they both jumped to their feet and Ed pushed Shawn behind him protectively.

“It’s alright” Niall assured “Liam’s one of the good guys. Is it safe to to talk here Liam?”

Liam placed a finger to his lips and began looking round the room, checking light fittings and sockets. When he got to the air vent in the ceiling he gave it a poke and looked concerned when it moved as if it was loose.

“That’s loose Liam states, gesturing for Niall to give him a leg up, he pushes open the grill and climbs into the vent system. After looking around for a few seconds, whilst the other four watched from below in silence Liam climbed back down seeming to appear satisfied.

“It’s not bugged” he stated.

“I know me and Shawn do regular sweeps” Ed commented looking slightly on edge still.

“And the loose vent, was that you too?” Liam enquired.

“Yes” responded Shawn a little uncertainly, “You can get to nearly anywhere in the base through that vent system”

“Ok you guys do seem to be who I need to speak to then” Liam states. “Please sit back down this might take a while”

Harry stays in his chair as the other boys take the beds, and listens as Liam tells what he knows of the 3 phase plan to an increasingly appalled looking Ed and Shawn.

“So we need to get Louis off this base as quickly as possible” Liam concludes “Do you guys know how to contact the resistance?” 

“I know someone who does” Shawn says slowly “I pass information to him sometimes if I think it might be useful, but I have never had something like this.”

“OK” Liam says thoughtfully “I am scheduled to do a supply run off base tonight as luck would have it, I am only scheduled once a week could you get a message to the resistance to meet me out on the road away from the base so we can plan? Please don’t tell your contact who I am, I need to be able to stay on base as I can help the plan better from the inside, so I can’t afford people here to know I am anything but 100% loyal to the Colonel. I am taking a big risk in even telling you guys.”

“But why are you?” Ed asks, still a little suspicious.

“Look I joined the forces to protect my country not to facilitate mass genocide of innocent people and frankly I am offended that you even think you need to question which side I would be on. I am on the side that stops this atrocity getting even worse. I don’t know if the resistance are good people but I know that getting Louis off the base is the best way to stop progress for now and if he is willing to risk his life in turning himself over to the resistance in order to stop this, well I am damn well going to support him as much as I can!”

“You think it’s dangerous” Harry asks really worried now.

“I won’t lie to you Harry, I do” Liam says gently “But i also think that if Louis stays here and the Colonel discovers he has been lied to about his technical skills it will be more dangerous for him and for his father and Zayn. There are ways that the Colonel can force progress, like hurting Louis to motivate his father”

“Can’t you go with Louis then Liam at least give him some protection?” Harry implores .

“I don’t think one soldier will be much protection and in fact if I turned up armed it would probably put Louis in even more danger. Besides if Louis is gone and the Colonel feels motivation is needed to get progress he might go for harming Zayn as an alternative to Louis. He knows Louis’s father is fond of the boy after all. I need to be here so that I can try to get Zayn out of here if I hear a suggestion of that happening. I know it would put Louis’s family at potential risk but I will not let Zayn get harmed more than he has been already. He will never forgive himself for the part he has been forced to play in this.”

Liam turns to Harry then “Trust me Harry you would not want Louis to get more involved in this evil, better that he is hurt or killed by the resistance than that he has to live with that guilt.”

Harry nods slowly, he knows Liam is right but he is so fucking scared!

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Louis is having a tea break to end the day in his father’s lab when there is commotion at the door and Liam stumbles in. He has blood on his face, which appears to be flowing from his nose. 

“Liam!” Zayn exclaims and is over to him in a shot. Holding a cheek in each hand Zayn is asking him “Are you OK? What’s happened.”

“Shut the door” Liam says apparently quite calmly and Louis rushes over to do so.

“Ok Z I need you to go and find me a damp cloth to clean up with, I can’t let anyone see me like this and start asking questions, I’ve managed to avoid bumping into anyone since I got back but this nose won’t stop messing my face up.”

Zayn nodded quickly “I will got to Mr Tomlinson’s apartment, he’s over there making us supper, I can get a cloth from the bathroom”

“Bring him back with you, he needs to hear this too” Liam said.

“OK” Zayn kissed Liam gently on the cheek before opening the door to leave the lab.

Once they were alone Louis couldn’t help asking “What’s happened?” 

“I had a brief meeting with the resistance” Liam stated matter of factly “Turns out some of them are not keen on the military, roughed me up a bit”

“Shit are you OK? How did you get away? Do we need another plan?” Louis asked in quick succession. “Well it seems that we have our own connections in the resistance. Whilst i was being held and walloped, the leader, or local leader or whatever arrived. Turns out we sort of know him.”

“What?” Louis asked bewildered. “We know him? As in me and you? We have a very very limited range of mutual connections Liam we only met last week!”

“It’s Alberto” Liam states “As in Harry’s mum’s slightly dodgy gun toting neighbour!”

“Wow” says Louis just as Zayn and his dad enter the lab. His dad is carrying a tray full of sandwiches. He pulls a damp cloth out from under the tray saying “I thought it might look less suspicious if I came in with supper 

Zayn had by now taken the cloth and was dabbing at Liam’s face cleaning him up. “Ok” Louis stated “I think you might need to start from the beginning and fill us in on all the details.”

They sat down at the workbench and nibbled on the sandwiches that his dad had brought while Zayn fussed around Liam and he in turn began to calmly tell his story.

“So Harry and Niall’s roommates have a contact in the resistance it turns out and they arranged for me to meet up with them while I was out on a scheduled supply run tonight. They had set up a roadblock about two miles into my journey and when I pulled up they grabbed me out of the cab. One of them held my arms behind my back while another kept asking me if this was a trap, punctuating each question with a punch to the gut”

“Show me” Zayn demanded lifting the hem of Liam’s shirt, there were already purple bruises forming all over his lower torso. “Oh Li” Zayn sighed.

“It’s ok babe, it’s just bruising, I’m fine I promise. Anyway” he continued “I am just bending over to vomit after a fairly hefty punch, thinking that maybe this was a mistake after all, when I hear a loud voice shouting for the two men to stop and let me go. As they did I fell to the floor and it was only as I was getting up that I saw the owner of the voice.”

“Alberto?” Louis guessed.

“Who?” both Zayn and his father asked simultaneously.

“Remember when Liam and I went to Harry’s mum’s and met his neighbour” Louis thought he’d explain this part to give Liam a breather. “Well I guess the aura of authority he gave off was real, Liam says he appears to be in charge of the local resistance!”

“Yes Liam continued. Anyway I look up and I come face to face with Alberto and he remembers me. He asked about Harry of course and I assured him that he is safe. Then I explained about why I was making contact, the three phase plan and why we needed to get you out of here. That’s when I got the bloody nose!”

“What? Why?” Zayn asked.

“Well for bringing Harry here into and I quote “The Viper’s nest”. It seems that Alberto is very serious about wanting to keep Harry safe for the sake of his mum. I think there is definitely something more than a neighbourly friendship going on there. Anyway after a bit of pacing around Alberto agreed to find a way to get you out of here, but on the one condition that Harry goes with you.”

Louis has to admit he does not mind the condition one bit, he has really been missing Harry. “But what about Niall?” he asks.

“Sorry Louis” Liam replies I think getting just the two of you out is going to be a challenge, we can’t manage three. I think Niall will be ok though, his two new roommates seem really switched on and I will promise to look out for him as much as I can too.”

Louis’ mood drops at that it’s always been him and Niall against the world since they met at Kings, he feels like he’s letting him down by leaving him here. “Will I be able to see him before I go?” He asks hoping he can at least check he’s Ok with his own eyes.

“Yes actually Niall is a key part of the plan to get you out so you will see him briefly tomorrow morning after breakfast when it goes ahead” Liam assures.

“OK so tell us the plan then Liam” Louis requests as they settle down, Zayn carefully plopping himself down next to Liam and placing his arm softly around his waist in a way that would not be seen from the door should anyone come in unexpectedly. 

“Ok so tomorrow morning after breakfast you make your move” Liam says before continuing to outline the plan. It’s risky and it could go badly wrong, but it is also viable and it might just work! Louis only hopes that Harry won’t hate him too much when he learns about his father’s role in this, he can’t bear the thought of seeing hate or disgust in his beautiful green eyes.


	12. Chapter 12 - Reunited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully the right mix of emotion, fluff and a little teeny bit of kissy.

Chapter 12 - Reunited

“Will you be OK father” Louis asked. He was saying his farewells before he and Zayn had to leave the lab as per the agreed plan. He had, he knew, never been close to his father but he was now beginning to understand that this had not been, as he had believed, indifference on his father’s part but rather from his father’s wish to protect him from the truth. It felt somehow unfair that now he was finally starting to know his father, he was being forced to leave him behind and under circumstances that might lead to their permanent estrangement.

“I will be much happier knowing you are safe Louis” his father replied. “Please if you are able see if you can get the resistance to free your mother and sisters. Do not let the resistence come to get me away from the military if they still have your mum and sisters, I cannot have them harmed! Promise me that Louis!” he implored.

“Of course father, I promise I will try to find a way to make sure mum and the girls are safe”. Louis is determined that he will do whatever he can, he’s just not sure what he can do. As Louis is reassuring his father Liam enters the room, earlier than planned.

The soldier looks anxious and crosses the room to where the three of them are gathered. “We have a problem with the plan” he pants out hurriedly. 

“What is it?” all three of them enquire at once.

“I have just been to update Harry and Niall on what is to happen this morning” Liam begins “That’s when Harry stated he cannot go with you Louis.” 

“What, Why? Is it because he hates me now? I knew he would when he knew!” Louis feels his heart sinking to the floor. Of course Harry could not be associated with him, he should not be dragged into this genocide by association!.

“No it’s not that, Harry is desperate to see you again” Liam tried to reassure him “He told me that he and Niall have been fitted with trackers, if Harry goes with you his tracker will lead the Colonel straight to the resistance!”

“Oh is that all” Zayn stated touching Liam in reassurance. “Well it’s a good thing you found out Li but that can be easily resolved”

“What? How?” Louis asked anxiously he feared the answer meant harming Harry in some way to extract the device, or worse still leaving him behind after all!”

“Well son” His father began to explain “After the lights were activated without us being able to warn people, or sabotage it Zayn and I agreed that we would not invent any other tech for the Colonel without first having come up with the ability to disable it. The trackers can be easily scrambled by a low frequency electronic pulse being activated in close proximity.”

Zayn held up what looked like a rubber step counter wristband. “Have him put this on and then flick the switch on the side, but not until you are out of the compound, it will scramble the trackers signal. Hopefully the Colonel will assume that the resistance have cut the tracker out and not suspect anything more than that.”

Louis is so relieved and also a bit proud of his father and Zayn for their resourcefulness and their determination to avoid seeing phase 2 of the plan come to fruition at all costs. 

“I think it is time for us to go” Zayn reflects turning back to Liam to go over the plan a final time. “I will walk Louis to the courtyard nearest the perimeter as if we are both slipping out for a cigarette. Niall and Harry will finish their breakfast and come out to the courtyard as if seeking fresh air, we will act surprised yet pleased to have bumped in to each other again so unexpectedly. Niall and I will then offer to go back to the canteen to get cups of tea for us to enjoy as we catch up. As soon as we arrive back in the canteen Shawn will give the signal to his resistance contact and they will grab Louis and Harry from the courtyard. It needs to look as if the resistance have been planning to capture Louis and I and that their snatching Harry is a case of mistaken identity” 

“That’s the plan” Liam smiles weakly back at Zayn, taking his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “Please be careful. I will try to get back to the courtyard before you return with the tea so that I can protect you from any retaliation that the Colonel may hand out, but I am really hoping he won’t suspect you.”

“Thanks Liam” Zayn whispers. 

Louis is really grateful that Liam is there to try to protect Zayn and his father as he suspects that even with the plan being set up to cover their involvement, the Colonel will not go easy on them. “You’ll keep an eye out for Niall too?” he prompts Liam. “I will try” Liam assures him “although he does also have his room mates who I think he has already won the loyalty of, he is quite the charmer your friend!” 

“Yes I know” Louis smiles fondly, he is going to miss his best friend so very much.

“We do need to go now” Zayn prompts. While he is saying his goodbyes to Liam and assuring him again that he will be careful, Louis turns to his father and says simply “Dad you know I understand don’t you? I promise I will try to get to mum and the girls? I promise to try and make sure that you don’t have to play any further role in this!”

Louis’ father smiles weakly back, “thank you son, please stay safe” he squeezes his shoulder and pats his back lightly. 

Then Louis turns to Zayn and they both walk out of the laboratory door and toward the courtyard, pretending to make amiable chatter as they did so. 

It took them about 10 minutes to reach the courtyard and when they arrived is was thankfully empty, everyone else must still have been having breakfast. They walked over to the table which stood next to the perimeter wall and Zayn pulled out a packet of cigarettes, offering one to Louis. 

Louis took a cigarette from the packet gratefully, he needed something to settle his nerves. Just as he was lighting up the door to the courtyard opened and out walked Niall and Harry. 

“Louis” Niall exclaimed running over to him and throwing his arms around him “It’s so good to see you” He pulled back and looked him directly in the eye, concern showing as he asked him sincerely “Are you OK? I mean I know it must have been hard seeing your dad and, well you know”

“I am OK Niall. Don’t worry about me. I am so sorry for dragging you into this mess. I am even more sorry I am leaving you here, I don’t want to, you know that right?”

“Of course I do!” Niall says “Don’t you worry I know we will see each other again soon. We are a team, always have been. You wait we will be together again before you know it. My Irish waters are telling me it’s so and you know they are never wrong.”

Louis smiles affectionately at his friend, his confidence giving him a little faith also. “Oh I always trust the Irish waters for certain” he jests back. 

Niall turns to Zayn then raising his voice slightly so that it might be overheard by anyone passing by. “It’s wonderful to bump into you guys, anyone fancy a cuppa to warm us up whilst we chat?”

“Sure, I will help you carry them” Zayn replied jovially. “I can’t wait to hear what you have been up to”.

Niall looked pointedly at Louis and Harry, his eyes bidding them farewell and telling them to take care, before he and Zayn turned to go and fetch the tea. Louis swallowed knowing that this might be the last time he sees them.

Suddenly he feels a warmth against his palm and realises that Harry has gently taken his hand in his own. “I missed you Louis” he whispers “I am so sorry to hear about your Dad”.

Louis shakes himself back into the moment, they don’t have much time. He puts his free hand into his pocket and pulls out the wristband Zayn gave him earlier. Lifting the hand that is still gripping Harry’s he turns his arm until he see the entry wound from where the tracker was inserted. Then he gently releases Harry’s hand to push the wrist band over it and into place around his wrist. He turns Harry's wrist again to show him the button on the side of the band “push that once we are off the base” he whispers and sees Harry give a slight nod in acknowledgement.

Just then there is an almighty crash behind them and a Lorry comes surging through the wall to the left of them. Flying rubble knocked Harry and Louis backward and they both fell to their knees. 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry is gasping for breath when he feels two arms firmly gripping him around his waist, whilst something is pushed over his head and it all goes dark. He is aware that he is being lifted off the floor and carried, whilst he is trying to decide whether this is part of the plan or whether he should try to resist. Then he hears Louis voice, calling his name before it sounds like his voice is muffled off by a hand over his mouth. 

There is the sound of scuffling and then Harry feels momentarily weightless as the arms that were holding him seem to throw him. The weightlessness ends a split second later when his body hits hard ground with a jolt of pain shooting through his injured leg. 

There is a thud and the ground vibrates next to him, with what he presumes is the weight of another person thrown next to him. Then voices are shouting “Go Go Go” and there’s a sound like large metal doors slamming. There is probably 10 seconds of silence before the screeching of tires and the jerk of the ground moving beneath him. Harry guesses that he is in the back of the lorry and that it's now moving back through the wall it had driven through just moments ago.

“Louis?” he calls out, hoping that he is there too, after all he is the primary target for the extraction mission. He is relieved when he hears Louis’ voice call back “Haz? Over here!” The voice sounds like it’s close by and to his left so he shuffles his body across the floor until he feels another body next to him. He grabs at the clothing that he feels under his fingertips to pull himself closer. “Is that you Louis?” he asks.

“Yes” comes a muffled voice, just as a barrage of pinging sounds indicate that the lorry is now being fired upon and the bullets are hitting the trailer where they are. Harry hopes hard that the pinging noises are a sound that the bullets are bouncing off the outside of the lorry rather than entering. All the same he raises himself up slightly and throws himself over the the top of Louis to shield him! 

“Oompfh” the man next to him exclaims as Harry covers him. “Haz you need to get off please you are squashing me” comes back Louis’ soft voice.

“Oh sorry Lou” Harry mutters raising his weight up slightly to his elbows to relieve the pressure. “Can you see anything?” he asks. “No” Louis answers, “they put a hood over my head and tied my hands when I tried to hit the man that was manhandling you into the truck, I didn’t want him hurting your leg and he was not being gentle.”

Oh right yes, the hood, Harry’s hands were not tied and that meant he could probably just remove his hood. Being careful not to put his weight fully back down on top of Louis, Harry reached up and grasped the cotton like material over his face and yanked it off. Blinking his eyes he was aware that he had been right and they had been in the back of the lorry. It was quite dark but there were little holes of light speckled on the wall at one end which Harry suddenly realised was where the bullets had made their way through.

“Harry” Louis said suddenly “The wristband you need to flick the switch now or else they can follow us” 

Harry looked down at his wrist remembering the band Louis had put there and felt at the side for the button which he obediently pressed. A blue flashing light began pulsating in the band but other than that nothing else appeared to happen.

Harry then turned his attention fully to Louis, on the floor next to him. First he slipped the hood from his head to reveal his frantic face. Harry smiled at him nervously and gave a weak “Hi” before holding his flashing wristband up for Louis to see “Good” Louis said smiling back. “Now any chance you could untie my hands?”

“Of course” Harry scrambled out, reaching for Louis’ wrists which appeared to be secured with a cable tie. He then ran his hand down his injured leg until he felt the cool mental tucked into his sock. Earlier that morning he had surreptitiously put a dinner knife from the canteen there as a crude weapon in case he needed it. He now eased the knife out and began to saw away at the cable tie. “Very resourceful” Louis commented, sounding a little impressed and making Harry blush.

It took around 10 minutes of pulling the blunt knife across the plastic of the tie before it became weakened enough for Harry to snap it open and release Louis. As soon as he did Louis sat up rubbing his wrists and thanked him profusely.

“No problem Lou. Where do you think they are taking us?” Harry enquired. The lorry was clearly still travelling at what felt like a pace but the bullet noises had ceased about 5 minutes into the journey which hopefully meant that they were now clear of any military forces. 

“I don’t know” Louis replied “It might be some time before we get there though, lets crawl up to the front so we can lean against the cab, it’s probably safer there and it would be good to sit up.” At that Louis grabs his hand and hauls him toward the front of the trailer. Once they get to the metal that forms the back of the lorry’s cab they turn and rest their backs against it, sitting close together so that their sides are touching.

He feels Louis bring his hand up to cradle his cheek. “God I was so worried about you Haz” he said. “Are you alright? They didn’t hurt you did they?” 

“I am fine” Harry replied, he was pretty sure Louis had had it much worse than he had, finding out about his father and being forced to work for the Colonel. By comparison getting to share a bunk room with two new friends did not seem like anything to complain about. 

“Can I kiss you please?” Louis totally winded him by asking with no warning. “He made an almighty effort to get words out in response. “Yes please” hardly eloquent but it did the trick as he felt Louis grip his jaw and turn his face toward him. Then he felt two soft lips gently brush against his own. It might have stopped there but Harry’s traitorous body had to betray his feelings for Louis by releasing a needy whine. Before he knew it Louis lips were pressing against his harder and he was moving his own lips back in acknowledgement. 

Without even registering what he was doing Harry ran his tongue across Louis’ lips and he was moaning as it slipped into the warmth of Louis mouth, brushing against his tongue. That’s when it seemed that Louis might have lost any control he was trying to hold on to. He pushed Harry back against the cab bulkhead and climbed into his lap. His tongue was now probing into Harry’s mouth and they were both whining and moaning at the warm moistness of the kiss. 

Harry felt Louis’ hand hitch up the hem of his jumper and stoke along the skin of his stomach. In turn he pushed his own hand under the waistband of the back of Louis’ jeans and stroked along the top of his pants tickling the soft little dimples at the base of his spine. 

They continued to kiss deeply with hands roaming against skin for the entirety of the remainder of the journey. Harry feeling like his chest might explode with the experience of having this moment with Louis. He knew then that whatever the risks of being with Louis, whatever his role might have been in the current world crisis he was who he wanted to be with and he was willing to fight to not be separated again.


	13. Protection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Specsavers, Boots and a helping of Smut. Oh and Butlins Skegness

Chapter 13 - Protection

The lorry they are travelling in lurches to a stop and Louis grabs Harry tightly to stop him tumbling off from his lap. When he hears the cab doors opening through the metal wall behind them he concludes that they have reached their destination. He gently lifts Harry up and stands ready to face whoever might come to fetch them, pushing Harry behind him protectively so that he is forming a barrier between the younger boy and the trailer door which is now being dragged open.

As soon as the door is open around 5 or 6 burly looking men jump up into the trailer, positioning themselves by the door and making way for the last man to enter. Louis recognises this man and tries to appear confident when he greets him. “Morning Alberto.”

Alberto, if Louis is honest, is looking less than impressed in return. “Harry” he says firmly “Come over here”. Louis grabs at Harry’s shirt to hold him safely in place behind him. He is just about to respond to Alberto when Harry beats him to it “No way Alberto” he says “Louis and I stay together that’s non negotiable”.

“Look Harry” Alberto continues, his voice now firmer “I owe it to your mum to make sure you are safe and Louis here is not exactly in the safest set of circumstances right now. The lad it pretty much suspect number one to effecting an apocalypse and every one of these men here have lost someone they love due to his actions. If you stay with him I cannot guarantee you will be safe.”

Louis’s heart sinks, Alberto is right, he sees the hatred in the eyes of the other men and he knows that he can’t take them all on to protect Harry. Reluctantly he releases his hold on Harry’s shirt. “You should do as he says Haz” he instructs gently.

Harry’s response is definitely not gentle though. “No fucking way” he spits out wrapping his hands tightly around Louis waist as if to signify that is they want him away from Louis they will have to prize him off. “Louis is an innocent victim in this shit too and he has done nothing but protect me, you can fuck right off if you think I am going to let any single one of you hurt him. Where he goes I go!” Louis can feel him tense up as if readying himself for action and he in turn squeezes Harry’s hand and prepares himself for a fight as the men begin to approach them both.

“Fuck sake” Alberto mutters “You are as stubborn as your bloody mother Harry! Stand down men, Louis here is going to follow us without a struggle to prevent Harry getting hurt in a fight, aren’t you Louis?”

Louis nods his head slowly “As long you no one hurts Harry we won’t have a problem” he confirms. 

“OK then boys, walk slowly over here then please” Alberto directs.

Harry doesn’t loosen his hold on Louis’s waist so Louis takes shuffling steps over to the door with Harry clinging on protectively behind. As they pass the other men Louis shoots them a cautious look. When they reach Alberto he reaches up and clips Harry gently round the ear. “Hey” Harry objects.

“Ok boys follow me. Gentleman” he continues looking at the other men “Follow behind but do not touch the boys unless they try to escape ok?” The men grunt back confirmation, although they don’t seem particularly pleased with the arrangement. 

Harry has to relax his hold on Louis so that they can climb down from the trailer so he makes sure he hops down as quickly as possible and turns around straight away to help Harry down. 

Once they are down on the ground he grabs for Harry’s hand and holds on tightly. They appear to be in a coach park at a shopping centre, it is not a complex that Louis recognises however. “OK follow me” Alberto directs heading toward the shopping complex. 

 

As they enter the mall they are surrounded by more heavily armed men and some women also. “Ok I need you to keep watch on the exits and warn us if there is any movement out there” Alberto instructs them. “We can’t be sure we weren’t tracked here. Louis and I are going to have a nice chat I think he will be happy to tells us what he knows. Isn’t that right Louis?” Before he can respond Alberto continues “Just in case though, Paul bring along your tool kit!”

A largely heavy set man steps out of the group carrying a bag that definitely does not look like it contains a standard tool kit. Louis feels his anxiety levels growing, however when Alberto turns to continue on his way he just grips Harry’s hand a little tighter and follows.

Alberto leads them to a Specsavers store and they enter and go into one of the small booths used for eye testing. There is only room inside for Louis, Harry, Alberto and Paul and once they have squeezed in Paul closes the door ominously behind them. 

“Sit down Louis” Alberto instructs pointing the the surgical looking chair in the middle of the room where the eye exams are normally done. “Now does Paul need to tie you down or will you behave nicely” Alberto asks as Paul pulls some heavy looking rope out of his bag. Harry steps in front of Louis protectively but Louis tugs at his sleeve this won’t end well for Harry if he starts a fight. “Its Ok Haz” he says “You know I am happy to co-operate so they won’t need the rope.”

“OK so Louis tells us what you know start from the beginning and be convincing, because if I think you are lying or withholding details I am going to have to ask for Paul’s help and I don’t think you would enjoy that much” Alberto instructs.

“OK” Louis says, trying to think where to begin. “Well the first thing is that Harry has nothing to do with any this, before the attack I only knew him as Niall’s endearingly cute dormitory neighbour, we had not even spoken. I just need you to promise that you will keep him safe, whatever you decide to do with me!”

At that Paul’s eyes seem to soften a bit, although Alberto does not seem to be convinced, or at least shows no change in his demeanor, so Louis thinks it best to continue.

“Ok so my Dad runs a tech company. They were researching health technology, specifically developments in targeted treatment for cancer. I knew very little about their work, just that Dad was away a lot and worked long hours. When I was 11 my Dad left my mum and sisters, it was really unexpected, my Dad took me with him and enrolled me at school. For the next 5 years he continued his research but I was not involved, I just went to school and lived a normal life I guess. He had frequent meetings at the house but although I joined his guests and colleagues for dinner I was always relegated to my room before they got into business discussions.

When I saw my dad at the base he told me for the first time, that he left my mum when he was approached by a worldwide organisation that wished to tackle planetary pollution and overcrowding issues. At first he thought the group was genuinely interested in finding the cure for cancer. When he found out that the plan was actually to eliminate the gene which makes humans susceptible from the gene pool he tried to withdraw from the programme. That’s when they threatened to kill my mother and sisters, and lead to my father leaving in order to try and convince the group that they were not important enough to him to be an effective target. 

In an effort to try to stop the group from targeting me my father told them that I was helping with his research, making me out to be some sort of genius chip of the off block. But I promise you” at this point he turned to Harry “I promise you I knew nothing, I was just some spoiled rich kid going to private school, getting drunk and complaining about my daddy issues.”

Harry squeezes his shoulder and he goes on, ready to detail what he knows about the plan.

“Dad told me he doesn’t know who is in charge of the group as his key contact has always been the Colonel. But he knows it’s worldwide and that the attack has been carried out planet wide.”

“Shit” breathed Alberto “So what is the attack, how did it work?”

“Well I am no scientist, so I only know how my dad explained it, but it seems that in his research he discovered that the gene which allows cancer to take hold can be destroyed by a specific light range in a concentrated dose. Whilst testing on a test subject they discovered that those with the gene were also susceptible to hemorrhage if the light in question was focussed on the retina. Dad says 70% of the population had the gene and as it is a dominant gene the percentage affected was growing with every generation.”

“The group have apparently been mining information from population health records for years and have a pretty comprehensive database of those who do not have the gene and hence are immune to cancer. It seems over time the more fanatical members of the group have come to consider the gene free population as some sort of master race. At some point they made the twisted plan to purge the planet of those with the gene by an attack with the light source.”

“My god!” Alberto exclaimed “and your father supported this?”

“No!” Louis quickly clarified “ He at first thought they would never go through with the plan, and once he realised they were serious he tried to sabotage it, but he was too late, the attack happened suddenly before he could prevent it!” 

“But the technology was not ready and the light was not strong enough, when combined with the full moon on the night of the attack, to kill people instantly as expected. Hence the blindness and people not dying straightaway. The group know they have a potential problem on their hands keeping control. They want my dad to perfect a mind control technology that uses miniature trackers to use targeted pain delivery to disable any non compliers. My dad has convinced them that I am key to that research. Getting me out of there is an excuse for my father to stall, but he can only hold out so long before the group might try other alternatives.”

“After the attack they rounded up the people they knew were immune from the database and they have been fitting them with the trackers, which currently can only send GPS signals but do allow them to keep tabs on people’s whereabouts”.

“Wait is that what I have?” Harry exclaims suddenly “Yes love but yours has been disabled by the wristband. Dad and Zayn have made sure that this time the technology can be easily destroyed if needed. Even so we should get that tracker out as soon as possible, I don’t like the idea of you having it in you”

“So what are they doing with the people they have rounded up and fitted with trackers?” Alberto asks “Your mum and sister were taken Harry” he clarifies.

“Yes I know, mum left me a note” says Harry “I want to find her and Gem and get them away”

“There we can agree son” says Alberto, “So back to my question what are they doing with them?”

“Dad thinks that they are shipping them to new population centres to start new communities once the affected and non immune have been eliminated” Louis says. “That is phase 3 of the plan”

“Hmmmm” Alberto reflects “So we need to ensure that these control trackers don’t get activated and your dad is the key to that. We need to attack the base and snatch him.”

“No” Louis says alarmed “They still have my mum and sisters, Dad won’t come if it risks them and you need him to co-operate. He needs to wipe his research from the databases so they cannot just have someone else pick up his work. We need to go and get my mum before we can get dad out of there.”

“We?” asks Alberto “Why would we be trusting you?”

“Because” says Harry, anger clear in his voice “Louis has put himself in danger, throwing himself at your mercy to try and stop this plan. He has more reason than any of us to want this to end.”

“Paul can you step outside with me for a minute” Alberto requests, “I would appreciate a word. You boys behave, we won’t be long”.

As they leave the room Harry hugs Louis tightly before he says “I swear Alberto still sees me as the 10 year old kid I was when he moved in next door to mum”. 

“That’s good then, that might just keep you safe” Louis replies 

“I am only safe if you are Louis! I mean it I am not leaving your side!” Harry states forcefully.

“Harry” Louis starts to object but just then Paul and Alberto re-enter the room.

This time it is Paul that speaks. “OK Louis, we believe you. It seems you are part of the solution rather than the enemy. We are going to take you boys back to our base and then we can decide on our next steps together. But first I am guessing that, as you guys came without luggage, you might want to come with me and pick some items out in the Mall to take with you”.

Louis is relieved, even though he is not quite sure how far to trust these two men, it seems like for now at least Paul is not going to get out the threatened “tool kit”. He also has noted the apparent switch between Alberto and Paul as the conversation lead. He wonders what that’s about but not enough to stop him allowing Harry to pull him up to his feet so that they can follow the two men out of the room and back into the store.

Harry has hold of his hand again and it’s nice, it’s really nice. Part of Louis had really feared that Harry would pull away from him when he heard first hand from him the scale of his father’s involvement. But if anything he is holding his hand even more determinedly than before.

When they exit the Specsavers store a couple of armed men waiting outside turn to them. It’s ok gents Alberto assures these two have been interrogated and cleared for access you can stand down. 

The two men nod and walk off toward the entrance where a number of other men are still standing guard. 

“Ok boys follow me” says Paul jovially, “Boots first for toiletries I think”. Louis and Harry shrug and follow on. Once in the store Paul leans behind the tills and pulls out a carrier bag for each of the boys. Fill your boots he says indicating the shop and the boys obediently go in search of toothpaste and other vital items. Whilst they are looking at shampoo Alberto sidles up to them and slips something into Harry’s bag saying “Your mum would kill me if I didn’t make sure you were being safe!”

Louis notices the blush creeping up on Harry’s face, and pulls the bag open to peak inside where he sees two large boxes of condoms and a bottle that looks suspiciously like lube. Louis feels his cheeks heat up also, and stifles a cough, before pulling Harry along swiftly to the deodorant aisle. Now is not the time or place for that particular conversation!!

After Boots they hit John Lewis and get a couple of suitcases before filling them with enough clothes and underwear to last for some time. They also picked out two thick Canada Goose coats as Louis suspects there will be a fair few cold nights to come. 

“Do we need towels and bedding?” Louis asks Paul

“Not really” Paul replies, we have those where we are staying. You might want to get sleeping bags and walking boots for if we travel though.” 

So the boys finish off picking out a thick down filled sleeping bag each and some sturdy walking boots from the sports section.

Once they are done and wheeling their full suitcases out of the store. Paul directs them back into the car park where he takes them over to a Range Rover. “It’s about half an hour’s drive further he says hop in, we need to get there before it gets dark ideally as the headlights attract attention.” 

As he is climbing into the car Louis notes that the other men are now also leaving the shopping centre, seemingly filling their own vehicles up with supplies. 

Harry climbs in next to him on the back seat and Louis pulls him across so he is nestled into his side. “Thank you for the back up love” he whispers to him as the car pulls away.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

As Paul had indicated, after driving for around half an hour the vehicle began to slow. Harry looked out of the window then, he had deliberately not done so for most of the journey, ever since they were about 2 minutes from the mall and had driven by a pile of what looked distinctly liked charred corpses. Since then Harry had his face buried in Louis chest, trying to breath evenly and relax as Louis gently stroked his back.

Now they appeared to be pulling into a holiday complex, Harry read Butlin’s Skegness on the sign. He had come here on holiday as a tot he vaguely remembered and said so out loud. “Yes” said Paul we chose it as it is off season currently so there was no one here when the attack came and hence no bodies to clear. It’s got accomodation enough for us all, theatres where we can hold meetings and a large dining hall where we can eat so it’s perfect”

Harry thinks about that, and he definitely thinks the part about no bodies and knowing no one had died there to be appealing. They pull up to the gate and a couple of armed men open it and wave them through. Paul drives through the mass of chalets until he pulls into a parking bay outside of a row of blue apartments. 

“You lads have the apartment next to mine” he said “Please don’t go out without me. Louis is not exactly popular right night now and I think it’s best that you have a bit of protection when you are out in the camp.” 

Harry sat up at that, he did not like the idea of Louis not being safe. Louis catching his eye just shrugged and said “It’s understandable, I wouldn’t like me or family much either”. 

Harry folded his arms and looked at Louis firmly “It is not your fault Louis” he said. 

Louis sighed and squeezed his hand back “But it is at least in part my father’s.” he said sounding resigned.

Before Harry could respond Paul interrupted them by opening the passenger door on Louis’s side and beckoning them to climb out. 

Louis looked like he might be relieved as he climbed out of the Range Rover, pulling Harry gently out after him. Paul handed them a key, “First floor number 102” he said “I am number 101 so people have to come by me to get to you, we have the only two apartments in that corridor so it should be safe. Come on, follow me.”

Louis held Harry’s hand firmly as they followed Paul up a metal external stairway and onto a corridor. They reached a door with number 101 written on it and Paul stopped in front pointing along the corridor at the neighbouring door. “Make yourself at home” he said “I will pick you up at 6pm and take you for dinner.”

Paul watches from his doorway as the boys walk up to the blue door with the 102 on the front. Louis slots the key in the lock and pushes it open, stepping aside to allow Harry to step in, before following him and shutting the door firmly behind them.

The apartment is simple, as one might expect from a holiday chalet. There is a small kitchenette in the corner of a room with a sofa and french windows that open to a fake balcony, which is really only a waist high railing across the window frame. Harry guesses that the sofa folds into a bed as it looks the type and he remembers this from family holidays when he was younger. There is a bathroom with a shower over the bath and a bedroom with a double bed and a wardrobe. 

Harry looks at the bed pointedly and then at Louis, as if to ask if they will be sharing. Louis smirks and then says “It looks cosy” before sitting on the edge of the bed and patting the place next to him with his hand. 

Just then there is a knock at the door and Louis leaps up “Stay here” he says to Harry as he walks to the door. Harry hears Paul’s voice saying “I thought you boys might want your suitcases”. “Yeah, thanks Paul” he hears Louis say as he steps out into the corridor to help Louis with the cases, which they then wheel into the bedroom. 

“Should we unpack?” Harry asks uncertainly. Louis seems to consider for a minute before saying. “I am not sure how long we will be staying. Maybe it’s best if we keep things in the cases for now, excepting I would quite like to change into something clean.” 

Harry nods, he’s been wearing Louis’s fathers clothes for the last few days and it would be nice to put on some of the new clothes they picked out earlier. “I should probably clean my wound” he says. “Maybe I could take a shower?” 

“Sure Harry but I think I should come give you a hand in case you slip” Louis winks at him and Harry is sure he might faint. 

Then Louis starts giggling, “I am sorry!” Harry he says “I couldn’t resist, you look so cute when you blush.” Harry blushes some more!

In the end Louis had helped Harry to get the water temperature right and made sure he had everything he needed for his shower within easy reach before living him to undress and shower in privacy.

Harry really enjoyed the warm shower, although he did wonder how the resistance had warm water here, something for him to ask Paul later he decided. 

He washes his hair and soaps off his body, being careful to clean his bullet wound thoroughly, noting with relief that it hurt much less to touch now. He is just climbing out of the bath to grab the towel when he slips. He flails his arms out to catch himself but to no avail, he falls backwards and bangs his bottom and then his head on the bath.

At the sound of the bang Louis is running into the bathroom with an alarmed look on his face. “Harry” he shouts with concern “Are you ok?”

Harry is not OK he is frustrated at himself and he is also very very conscious that he is currently lying in the bath naked with his legs in the air and must look very silly indeed.

Harry feels tears of shame sting his cheek, and Louis looks even more alarmed. “Are you hurt?” he asks frantically.

Harry just shakes his head too mortified to speak. 

Then Louis is picking him up from the floor of the bath and draping him over his shoulder, carrying him with apparent ease for a man of his slight stature. 

Louis carries him to the bed and Harry is aware of where Louis’ hands are clasping the top of his thighs just under his buttocks. His skin feels like it is on fire and it’s not just the burn of embarrassment anymore.

Louis twists and lays Harry gently down on the bed, and then starts frantically checking for injuries, running his hands across his limbs.

Seeming to realise that nothing is badly hurt Louis seems to calm down but doesn’t remove his hands from where they have stilled, one on his stomach and one on his right thigh. Harry can’t breathe.

Then Louis gently bends down and brushes his lips against Harry’s, who moans at the combined feel of Louis lips and hands touching him.

“Harry” Louis says “You look absolutely sinful like this and I am not sure I can resist touching you in ways I don’t think I should”.

“Please do” Harry replies “Please touch me, make me forget”. He doesn’t know where the words came from but he knows that he means it.

Louis moans and moves the hand on his thigh up a fraction so that it is dangerously close to brushing against his pubic hair. Harry feels himself harden up, he has never been touched there by a man before and he doesn’t really know how to breathe right now.

As if he can read Harry’s mind Louis asks him “Harry have you ever been with another man before?” 

How does he know? Is he that transparent? More to the point should he admit his lack of experience or lie? Something tells him that lying to Louis now would not be the right thing to do so he opts for honesty. 

“I kissed a boy once, in the changing rooms, after football” he admits “but when he tried to put his hands into my trousers I chickened out. I haven’t been with a girl either” he adds “I know that I like boys, I am not confused on that or anything”

Louis groans “So you are a virgin and you want me to touch you? Oh God I am going to go to hell aren’t I?”

Before Harry can answer him Louis is kissing him hard into the bed, shifting his body to rest on top of him. He pauses after a few seconds to say “Harry you have to promise me, if you feel uncomfortable about anything we do you will say so”

“I don’t want to die a virgin” Harry says frankly.

At that Louis lifts his hands onto his elbows and looks him directly in his eyes. “Harry you are not going to die anytime soon I promise” he said “I am not going to take your virginity just because you are scared that you won’t get another chance!”

“That’s not why” Harry responds quickly “Louis I have had a crush on you for so long now and I think I might burst if you don’t touch me again.”

Harry reaches up and grabs Louis behind his neck pulling him back down into a bruising kiss. He feels the point at which Louis stops fighting him and loses himself into the kiss, feels his tongue pushing past his lips and his hand moving further up his thigh. He moans into Louis’s mouth and says “Louis I want you please”.

“Ok baby” Louis says back with emotion in his voice. “Ok you have me” 

Louis’s hand then moves to stroke Harry’s length and he almost chokes as he feels himself hardening up further. 

“Mmmmm” Louis says “baby you are so big!” He releases Harry’s lips and begins kissing down his neck, collar bones, then chest as Harry wriggles and writhes with pleasure underneath him.

Louis reaches his stomach and moves both of his hands to still Harry by holding his hips down as his tongue playfully lathes over Harry’s belly button. Dipping in suggestively. Harry moans again and Louis looks up to make eye contact.

“Can I give you a blow job Harry, will that be ok?” he asks 

“Please” Harry practically begs, his heart feels like it might pump right out of his chest. 

“OK baby, I will look after you” Louis says “I will make this so good for you I promise”

Louis did not release his hold on Harry’s hips, but dipped his head down until his lips were brushing against the head of Harry’s cock. Then, as if Harry had entered some heavenly sphere, he felt Louis’ mouth engulf his cock fully and begin to suck up and down his length. Every time Louis pulled back up his tongue would flick across the top of his slit and in the next moment he would feel the brush of Louis tonsils as he took him back into his throat. 

It was too much, he wanted to thrust up into Louis mouth, but Louis was still holding his hips still with strong fingers while he took his fill of him, making small longing groaning noises which were frankly driving Harry wild.

As if from nowhere, and without warning Harry suddenly felt a cramping in his lower stomach and then his cock throbbed warmly before he began spilling his orgasm into Louis mouth. Louis groaned and lapped Harry’s cum up until the shuddering had stopped.

Louis lifted his head off him then, shuffling back-up to slot their lips together again. “I hope you are motivated to keep on living, so I can show you more baby he says”

Harry licks into Louis mouth, before unlocking their lips and saying sincerely “Louis I need you to show me everything.”

“I will I promise” Louis tells him “But for now I would really like to take my clothes off and just cuddle with you, is that ok?”

Harry nods and lays back watching as Louis stands and shrugs off his clothes, before climbing into bed behind him and spooning him firmly into his stomach. Louis kisses his neck gently and says, thank you for sharing yourself with me baby, now sleep, you still need to recover from your injury.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a little longer as I can't update next weekend due to holidays. I hope you enjoyed. I promise to be back the week after. 
> 
> Yes I have stayed at Butlin's Skegness a number of times - what can i say - I am not classy ;-)


	14. A Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting closer to the end, all players are coming together. Also the Plan may include a reference to one of my favourite romantic heroes.

Chapter 14 - A Plan

Louis blinked his eyes open sleepily, he felt the warm weight of Harry’s sleeping body cradled in his arms and allowed himself to revel in the moment of peace, before he noticed the darkening sky outside the chalet window. He realised that without a phone and no clock in the room he had no way of actually telling the time. Then he remembered that Harry wore a conventional wind up watch. Reaching for Harry’s wrist he gently lifted it up and into his eye line, noting the time was 5.45pm. Paul would be fetching them for dinner in 15 minutes!

Sighing with a note of regret Louis began gently stroking Harry’s hair to try to wake him up. When that failed to have the desired effect, Louis took a different tactic and began nibbling gently at Harry’s neck.

“Hmmmm” Harry moaned lightly, leaning his neck into Louis’ mouth. Maybe that tactic was not such a good idea if getting up and dressed was the desired result, as Louis is currently feeling a renewed motivation to stay curled up here with Harry.

Digging deep for motivation he says gently “Harry we have to get up before Paul arrives”. Harry genuinely “huhrumpths” at that suggestion. Louis did not even know huhrumpthing was an actual thing! But then Harry sighs and wriggles round onto his back. “One more kiss first?” he negotiates.

Louis feels the smile tug at his mouth before bringing his lips to Harry’s to oblige. They kiss deeply for a couple of minutes with slow probing tongues, but eventually Louis drags his wet lips away again and gently slaps his palm down on Harry’s stomach. “Come on babe, I don’t want to risk Paul walking in on us while you aren’t dressed. I don’t want to share what I would like to think is for my eyes only”. Harry smiles back at Louis and nods “Only for you” he assures and Louis feels a warmness in his tummy and chest. 

They both roll out of bed and scramble around the bags for some warm clothes, assuming that the temperature will drop as it gets dark. They are both just lacing up their trainers when the knock on the door comes. Louis gestures to Harry to wait while he enters the hallway and looks through the peephole in their chalet door. Paul is waiting outside and appears to be alone so Louis opens the door slowly to give him access.

“Alright boys” Paul calls cheerily as he enters, “ready for some dinner and a chat with the bosses?

“I guess” Louis replies not sure if ready is the word he work pick first off, although his stomach would be fully up for the dinner part.

“Ready Harry?” he calls through to the bedroom and Harry comes bouncing out in response.

Paul leads them out of the chalet, taking out a gun and instructing them to stick close. They walk out through numerous blocks of chalets until they reach what looks to be the camp’s entertainment complex. Louis takes in the various poster advertising amongst other things meet and greet photo sessions with Peppa Pig and Bob the Builder. 

They enter the complex and Louis is aware of people staring at them as they make their way to a large dining hall with rows of tables set up. The room is about half full of people eating and Louis thinks there must be around 200 people in total. It strikes him that this resistance operation is bigger than he expected. He also wonders, not for the first time how a resistance this size managed to form so quickly?

Paul leads them to a long table and signals for them to sit down, so they do, Louis letting Harry sit first and then plonking himself down next to him. Once seated he grabs ahold of the arm of Harry’s chair and slides it and it’s occupant closer to him. He feels the need to be protective with so many unfamiliar people around, and he does not miss the look of constant alertness on Paul’s face.

Before the silence at the table can become uncomfortable they are joined by Alberto and Zach and a few other men that Louis does not recognise. 

Alberto patted Harry gently on the shoulder as he passed by and asked “you alright son?”. When Harry nodded Alberto gave Louis pointed look and he could not help feeling like he was being warned that Harry had better be staying happy or there would be hell to pay.

A waitress came over and served them some generic looking soup, which Louis assumed to be mostly tomato based. They ate in silence until bowls were empty and then Alberto spoke in a low voice that Louis suspected was not intended to be overheard outside of their table. “When we have eaten we need to go to a planning meeting, there will be a lot of people there, try to follow my lead if for some reason they ask you direct questions. After hang back, we will need a de-brief, Ok Louis?” he said looking directly and meaningfully at Louis. 

“Um sure” Louis managed in reply and Harry squeezed his thigh under the table. 

“Oh and remember rule number one, you go nowhere here without Paul or I ok” Aberto added “Under any circumstances”.

Before Harry or Louis could make any answer the waitress returned and replaced the empty soup bowls with plates of chicken nuggets and fries. Alberto rolled his eyes and said “Freezers here are full of those things, clearly a guest pleaser, but personally I could live without ever tasting another of these nasty things again!”

“How are you powering the ovens?” Louis suddenly thought to ask “Is the electric back on?” 

“No” Alberto responded “But power is working here, we suspect there is a direct feed from the offshore wind turbines, another reason this makes a good base for us”

“That’s weird” Louis pondered out loud “I always thought the turbines powered the national grid”

“Yeah” Zach spoke up for the first time that night, “seems a lot of things we thought weren’t as they seemed”

Louis considered this a cryptic statement, but not necessarily an inaccurate one. Not for the first time he suspected there may be more to Zach than first impressions would suggest.

The rest of the meal passed in comparative silence everyone more occupied with eating than small talk. When they had finished the nuggets and chips they had been served a selection of cookies and choice of tea of coffee. Alberto had instructed the waitress to bring take out cups, “We need to head off to the meeting” he said by way of explanation.

Once the drinks arrived Alberto rose, as did a number of men from other tables and Paul and Zach. Louis nodded to Harry to indicate that he thought they were supposed to follow and they both stood also. Paul and Zach moved in to their sides as if to escort them, Louis wasn’t sure if it was to ensure that they attended the meeting or to keep others from interacting with them but Louis could not deny that he found the presence of the two larger men reassuring. He was almost positive that these two men were loyal to Alberto and also that Alberto was not going to let anything happen to Harry.

They followed a growing group of around 50-60 men as they moved through the entertainment centre and entered the cinema. Paul signalled them to turn into the one of the three screening theatres and lead them to seats at the back. “I don’t like to sit with my back to anyone” he said by way of explanation.

When the theatre was half full the steady stream of men entering began to ease off until it stopped altogether. The general chatter in the room draw to a halt as a group of 5 men entered the stage, Alberto among them.

Louis observed the other men, one was heavily pierced and tattooed with a number of scars to his face, another was tall and reedy but with a scary focussed expression on his face, there was then a heavily muscled man, probably in his late 30s with a thick head of hair and a leather jacket and lastly there was a smartly dressed man in an expensive looking suit with a generous amount of thick gold jewelry.

Louis deduced from this that Alberto was not ultimately in charge of the resistance. He was going to enquire of Paul who the other men were but Paul was giving him a warning look and shaking his head.

Louis therefore instead decided it best to stay quiet and observe.

“Evening men” said the suited man. “Welcome. Today we have learnt some information that will help us hit back at the government scum who have taken our families from us.” This was greeted with a loud cheer and a great deal of cussing about the enemy.

“We have captured the son of the scientist who has built this weapon and he has cooperated in giving us information.” the man continued. “It is our plan to go back in and snatch the scientist ourselves, we understand he will be willing to help us other through these scum in return for protection for his family” 

At that there were angry cries of “Why should his family survive when he has killed ours? Kill them that will stop him, let him see what it’s like to have you loved ones suffer and die!” Harry grabbed Louis hand looking absolutely horrified and Louis noticed Paul and Zach discreetly taking out their weapons. 

Louis was scared, but he did also understand the anger in the room. What scared him most however was if this anger was to be turned against his mother and sisters. He wasn’t sure if he could trust these people with their safety.

More worrying was that aside from the suited man and Alberto the other three people up on the stage seemed to agree with the general sentiment. 

“Ok quieten down” the suited man said to gain the room’s attention again. “I know you are all angry but our information suggests that the scientist would be a effective weapon on our side and that he has been an unwilling participant in this and wants to join us to help put things right. We just need to ensure his family’s safety to earn his commitment to our cause.”

The room quietens down and the suited man looks to the leather clad man to his left. “Brandon do you want to outline the plan?” he enquired.

The muscular man that Louis now knew to be Brandon picked up the briefing. “We are going to make a two pronged coordinated attack. Our intelligence from the base tells us that the family are being held at RAF Scampton, the nearest base to their home in Doncaster. Alberto and his men will travel up there and stake it out as we need to know about the security there. Once we known the lay we will organise an attack to take the family.” 

“My men will move back to RAF Wyton and await the signal to say the family has been safely extracted. Our inside man will then assist us in extracting the scientist. There is likely to be some heavy fighting but we know they do not know how big our forces are or how well armed, and that will hopefully make them complacent. The rest of you will stay here and protect the base so that our security is not compromised.” At that Brandon scanned the room, is everyone Ok with that plan? He scanned the room as if daring anyone to disagree, but all he received was rousing cheers and shouts of “Let’s go get them!”

“Alright men” it was the suited man again. The missions leave in two days, so those of you going on the attacks who are not on guard duty tonight have my permission to go open the blue bar up and have fun. I will send some girls over to aid the fun some.” At that the men cheered loudly and began leaving the theatre. 

“Stay right here!” Paul instructed in a low whisper and Louis tried to shuffle down lower in his chair to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. Harry was still gripping his hand tightly as he had throughout the meeting. 

They continued to sit quietly as the last of the men filed out and then Alberto is approaching them with the suited man. He signals to two of the men who we still seated on their row to go and post a guard on the door. Then he turns to Louis and Harry and says “Boys this here is Tony” he points to the suited man. “He’s in charge here, most men think he is a gang leader from London, but actually it turns out he’s an undercover agent for the vice squad, he’s been in deep cover for two years trying to bust a large drugs ring. We can trust him, well as far as you can trust any cop that is,” he adds like he feels he has to.

Tony smirks at Albertos words but lets him continue. “Most of the resistance is made up of criminal gang members and mercenaries. It makes for a successful movement but does not assure your safety. I need to get you boys out of here incase the mission goes wrong.”.

“What? Wait?” Louis responds “I thought I was coming with you to rescue my family!”

“No Louis” Tony says firmly. “You are too important to the military we cannot let you go near the base and risk you being captured. We need to send you somewhere safe”.

“Before we go for your family” it’s Alberto speaking now “We are going to ship you out to a place of safety, picking up Harry’s mum and sister on the way. We know from our intelligence on the base that they are being held at a resettlement centre near Sheffield. It’s not protected anywhere near as heavily as the bases and we have an inside man there so we should easily be able to pick Anne and Gemma up. Paul and Zach are going to smuggle you off of the complex during the night and get you to a safe space. We will bring your mum there when we have them and we can update you on the rest of the plan from there. If all goes wells we won’t have to move you again.”

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry is stunned he did not expect to be seeing his family again so soon and he is really excited about that, but he is also really scared that something will go wrong with the plan and he is also scared for Louis as it is clear that Alberto and Tony do not currently think he is safe. He squeezes the hand that he is still holding onto, and feels Louis give him a reassuring squeeze back. 

“Where are you taking us?” he hears Louis asking.

“There is a large gated stately home, Chatsworth House, we have the keys as the National Trust Trustee in charge is Tony here’s cousin. The grounds are secure and there is plenty of accomodation for a small group to live safely and quite self sufficiently for a while.”

“Chatsworth House!” Harry exclaims “That’s Pemberley where Colin Firth’s Mr Darcy lived”.

Alberto laughed loudly at that, “Ah yes Harry, I remember your mum saying you had quite the crush”

Harry blushed and Louis actually rolled his eyes and looked affronted. 

“Well his Mr Darcy was the classic” he said defensively. “But also wow that building is amazing, my mum took me once, she loved it.”

“I know” Alberto said wistfully. “Once again Harry reflected that his mum’s relationship with their neighbour appeared to be more than he had suspected. 

“I can’t wait to see her again” Harry reflected out loud. 

 

“Soon son, soon” Alberto assured. “First we need to get you out of this camp unseen”.

“Is there a plan for that?” Louis asked 

“Yes and it involves some help from another of our shared friends” Alberto states. 

Harry is confused, how in the world do Alberto and Louis have shared friends? Louis looks equally confused though.

“Paul will go back to you chalet and pick up your stuff, I need you two to come to the health centre, I am sure Harry’s leg could use a check up” Alberto adds.

Harry had almost forgotten about his leg, despite the ever present dull ache, but he guessed he should get it checked out as Chatsworth House was unlikely to have medical facilities. He nodded to Alberto and rose to follow him when Louis also stood up.

As they followed Alberto out of the theatre Louis leans to whisper to him “Mr Darcy?” Harry blushes and looks over to see Louis waggling his eyebrows. “Perhaps when we get safely to Chatsworth House I can pop on a white partially buttoned shirt and re-enact the lake scene for you.”

Harry blushed even deeper at that, how did Louis guess that was the exact scene he had in his mind when Chatsworth was mentioned?!?

Louis chuckled mischievously at Harry’s obvious blush and they continued following Alberto with Paul and Zach once again flanking them until they exited the entertainment complex. Do as Alberto says and you should be fine. Do not trust anyone unless Alberto says you can”

Harry nods and notes that Louis is nodding too. “Good lads” Paul comments before heading off toward the chalet.

Alberto turns in the other direction and Harry and Louis follow him with Zach on their rear. 

After about 10 minutes they reach the medical centre where they are greeted by a young black woman dressed in a nurses uniform. She comes running over shouting, “Louis, good to see you alive and well!” Then she looks over to Harry and says “Ah and this must be the friend with the bullet to the thigh?”

Louis is grinning “Hello Catherine” he greets her “Yes this is my boyfriend Harry” and Harry blushes at the title.

“Oh boyfriend now is it, there’s progression for you” Catherine teases. 

“Yup I charmed him with my heroic quest for antibiotics and now he is all mine” Louis responds half joking but also Harry feels with a touch of pride. 

“Awww” Catherine exclaims. “Ok then let’s get your boyfriend inside so I can get him checked out for you make sure he’s in a fit state to be a keeper.” At that she turns to Harry and gives him a big smile “Pleased to meet you Harry” she says and gives him a quick handshake.

They enter the medical centre and Catherine takes Harry into an examination cubicle, making a pouting Louis wait outside. She signals for Harry to remove his trousers and to sit up on the bed and raise his legs so she can check his wound. 

As she works on checking the wound and surrounding tissue, she gently asks. “So I just want to double check that you are OK with Louis, he’s not making you do anything you don’t want to is he?”

Harry is indignant at that “Of course I am OK, Louis is amazing I am so lucky to have him, and he never makes me do anything unless I am totally comfortable.”

At that Catherine grins and says “Well that’s great then, I can help you both be together somewhere a bit safer. Also seems I am coming with you, although I did try and argue they need a nurse here. Alberto was insistent though.”

“How are we getting out?” Harry asks as Catherine applies a fresh dressing. “We are going to take an ambulance from round the back and pop you in the bed, apparently the wound is not clean and you have an infection that requires medication from an actual hospital. Louis will be playing the part of ambulance driver. Zach will be there as bodyguard for us as those roads are not very safe.”

“That plan could work.” Harry reflects out loud.

“Well I haven’t known Alberto long” Catherine responds “But I have never yet known him have a plan that does not work. She finishes dressing his leg and pats his good thigh gently. “Ok then Harry, let’s go find that boyfriend of yours, hopefully he is all changed and ready to drive for us!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only about 4 more chapters to go - please stay with me


	15. Pursuit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Does what it says on the tin - sort of.

Chapter 15 - Pursuit

Louis is pacing in the waiting room at the medical centre, he doesn’t like letting Harry out of his sight it’s making his feel antsy. He thinks back to last time he was apart from Harry, at the base, and how vulnerable Harry had been, getting fitted with a tracker which could have been life threatening had Zayn not given them the deactivation bracelet.   
Shit the tracker! Louis is not sure if the bracelet is still blocking the tracker or if one use completely disables the tracker. Either way that tracker needs removing while it’s deactivated, he can’t believe he hadn’t thought about it before.

He strides over to the door that Harry and Catherine had gone through and is about to reach for the handle when it opens as Catherine and Harry return to the waiting room. Louis puts his hands out to halt them and Harry looks a little anxious.

“The tracker!” Louis says as if that’s an explanation on it’s own. Obviously it’s not enough of an explanation as Harry looks confused and Catherine asks “What tracker?”

Louis takes a breath, realising he needs to explain better. “Harry has been fitted with a tracking device. It’s currently deactivated by that wristband” he says pointing to the band. “But I don’t know if it can be reactivated. We need to get it out!” 

Just then another thought enters Louis’ head. “Shit, our families! They will most probably have trackers fitted too. We will need to deactivate them somehow” He can feel the panic rising in his chest, he needs to find Paul or Alberto and tell them. 

“Where’s Alberto?” Louis hears himself ask, he feels disconnected from his own voice. 

“I think he went to check on the ambulance” Catherine replied “We will find him but first let’s see about removing the tracker thing from Harry shall we?”

“Sure” Louis hears Harry reply, “I would be quite happy to lose that.”

They follow Catherine as she leads the way back into the small clinical exam room. Louis vaguely notices it smells of disinfectant, so at least it’s clean which is a step up from the safe room in which they removed Harry’s bullet.

Catherine signalled for Harry to take a seat on the bed and asked where the tracker was inserted. Harry turned his arm over to show her the small scab that marked the location of the devices entry point.

“Ok” Catherine said “I have some numbing local anaesthetic cream we can use on the site to lessen the pain.” She walks over to one of the cupboards and rifles around. Harry looks relieved and Louis guesses that he had been worried about it hurting despite the brave face he had put on. 

Catherine seems to find what she was looking for and returns to Harry with a tube of cream, a scalpel and a pair of surgical gloves. She pulls on the gloves whilst explaining to Harry that once she applies the cream the site should be numb within around 30 seconds. Then she can make a small incision and just pop the tracker out.

Louis tried to breathe through his nose as he watched Catherine make a small incision in Harry’s arm across the just scabbing over incision mark. He had never enjoyed the sight of blood if he was honest. Catherine squeezed the skin either side of the cut and Louis tried not to focus on the blood oozing out. But then out popped the tracking device and Catherine took hold of it before it could fall to the floor.

“Can I have a look?” Louis asked, and Catherine handed it across. Louis walked over to the sink in the corner of the room and gently rinsed the blood from the pill shaped device. He pressed it where his father had shown him with the trackers in the lab, but instead of the little tail popping out the device stayed resolutely static. Louis turned and walk back to Harry. “Babe” he said softly “did you see how this looked before it was inserted?”

Harry nodded holding out his hand for the tracker. “It looked like this” he said “but there was a little flashing red light” 

Louis feels hope rising in his chest. “I think the bracelet permanently disables it” he says. “ Or at least disables it for longer than just while they are in contact”. 

“Harry, take off the wristband please” he urges “We need to get it to Alberto to use with our families if they have trackers. Where is he?”

As if he heard his name Alberto came strolling into the room at that moment, he took a second to look around before focussing in on Harry’s hand holding aloft the tracking device.

“Is that what I think it is?” Alberto queried. 

“Yes its the tracker that was implanted in Harry!” Louis confirmed “We think the wristband has permanently disabled it, or at least disabled it for long enough for us to remove it and destroy it. Talking of which” Louis held his hand out to Harry for the tracker and once he received it he threw in on the floor and smashed it with a hard stamp on his foot.

“What did you do that for?” Alberto asked

“I didn’t want to risk it reactivating if the effects were temporary, we don’t want to lead the military here after all” Louis stated.

“ Alberto you need the take the wristband with you and use it to deactivate any trackers that Harry or my family have on them” Louis explained “hopefully the deactivation will last long enough for you to remove the trackers and destroy them”.

“Sure” Alberto nodded “That is definitely one less complication to deal with. But for now we have to get you out of here unseen and find somewhere safe to hide you while we go for Anne and Gemma. Zach have you got that uniform he shouted over his shoulder. “Hold on boss” came the muffled response and a few moments later Zach walked into the room. 

Louis noted the small blush of pink that rose on Catherine’s face on seeing Zach, interesting he thought before he turned his attention to Zach who was holding out a bundle of dark green clothes. “Louis lad, put this on will yer. Do you think you can drive an ambulance?” he asked.

“Um” Louis wasn’t sure “He had passed his test in a Mini Clubman and had then gotten his first car, the Mercedes GLA, neither of which were quite an ambulance. “Is it an automatic?” he asked hoping the answer was yes.

“Yep” Zach replied and Louis breathed a sigh of relief. “I am coming with you but I need to be able to fire a gun if we hit trouble so I can’t drive and also it would look suspicious at the gate if I was driving those guys know me. Catherine and Harry will ride in the back as nurse and patient.”

Louis reached over and took the clothes from Zach, looking around for somewhere to change and opting for the small fabric privacy screen in the corner. Once behind there he quickly shucked off his jeans and pulled on the green cotton overalls which buttoned up over his t-shirt. There was a small baseball cap with the badge entitled Private Ambulance Service, he guessed this was a service affiliated to Butlins and wondered what had happened to the actual driver and crew.

As he was stepping back out from the screen Paul arrived in the room pushing a wheeled stretcher trolley in front of him and stating that Harry and Louis’s bags had been safely stowed in the ambulance. Louis noted that Harry had slipped a hospital style gown on over his clothes whilst Louis had been changing. 

“Ok Harry hop up on the trolley. Louis you and Zach need to come push, Paul and I need to leave you now but we will meet you later at the rendezvous point, Zach knows where it is.” Alberto instructed.

“You have the wristband?” Louis checked as he walked over to Harry, carrying his jeans and wondering where to put them, Harry put out his hand and took the jeans pushing them up under his gown to hide them whilst Alberto patted his pocket to indicate that he had the wristband safely stowed there.

Louis took hold of the front of he trolley and asked Harry if he was ready, Harry nodded and they began to move the trolley toward the door. Just before they left Harry looked at Alberto “Keep my family safe please” he pleaded. 

“You don’t need to worry about that Harry” Alberto responded “I will protect your mum and Gems with my life” adding a cryptic “as always”.

Harry seemed satisfied with that and nodded without saying anything further.   
Paul directed them along a corridor and out through a rear door into a parking bay where an ambulance was pulled up with the rear doors open. As they approach a short man dressed similarly to how Louis had been before getting changed hopped out of the Ambulance. 

“I am going to drive James here back to the Chalet” Paul disclosed gesticulating at the man you had just emerged “As long as no one gets too close it will look like Harry here has gone to hospital and I have brought Louis safely back to the Chalet. As far as anyone here is concerned Harry is just a friend of Alberto’s and not at all important to the overall plan, his leaving shouldn’t be an issue.”

Louis nodded, that seemed sensible “Hopefully if people think you are in the Chalet Louis we won’t raise suspicion until after the extraction mission is complete. We don’t want them to go looking for you instead of going for your family!” No Louis definitely does not want that, he looks at Paul and gives him a sincere “Thank you”.

“No problem” Paul responds “Just make sure you stay out of trouble. Hopefully we will rendezvous in a couple of days with Harry’s family and news of yours too. For now me and James best get off before anyone decides to come and look too closely.”

Louis nods and decides that if speed is a factor getting Harry on the ambulance needs to be his current priority. As Paul and James walk away he tugs the trolley onto the rear ramp of the ambulance while Zach lifts the rear wheels up. Between them they quickly get Harry into the vehicle and lock the trolley into place.

Catherine hops up into the back after them and she and Zach exchange a brief hug before he hops down to the bay floor. Louis guesses he needs to follow as he is to drive the ambulance. He learns over Harry and places a soft kiss on his lips, “stay safe” he whispers and gets a shaky “You stay safe” back in return. Their eyes lock for a few seconds and they both exchange affectionate smiles before Louis turns and hops from the ambulance. 

Zach is waiting for him at the back and between them they close the rear doors, trying to look like this is a run of the mill task they do all the time, in case anyone is observing. They then walk to the front and climb up into the cab.

Once inside Louis adjusts the seat slightly as he only has short legs and needs to comfortably reach the pedals. He takes a cursory look at the gear stick and the steering wheel mounted controls to try to familiarise himself with the functions as quickly as possible. 

Once he is happy that he can move the vehicle, backwards and forwards, steer and stop, he decides that’s probably as much familiarisation as he requires in the circumstance and shouting back for Harry and Catherine to hold on he pulls away.

He drives slowly as Zach directs him to the gate, not wanting to attract suspicion and also taking the opportunity to get used to the controls. As they approaches the gate he slows down some more and Zach says “Let me do the talking”.

Zach rolled down the window and beckoned one of the men watching the gate over. Louis heard him say something about Harry having an infection and he could have sworn he also heard the words Alberto, girl-friend and son. The other man looked worried for some reason and called over to the other men to open the gate and let them through. 

At the sight of the gate opening, Louis pulled forward and drove out of the complex, it was that easy!

He drove about a mile down the road in silence, before he heard Zach breath out a sigh of relief, “Well that went better than expected” he reflected. “OK Louis follow this road until the roundabout and then take the turning for Grantham, that will take us to the A1 which I am hoping is passable. Louis nodded and drove on looking for the signs for a roundabout. After about 20 mins they saw the first sign to Grantham and Louis followed it. 

They drove west for around an hour, seeing hardly any people but a lot of damaged buildings and abandoned cars. On a couple of occasions Louis had to mount the pavement when the road was blocked by abandoned or crashed cars, and on one occasion he had made himself deliberately look away from a pile of smouldering bodies under a petrol station canopy. 

“We’re coming up on the A1, next turn” Zach said pointing to a sign which declared that at the next roundabout they should take the first exit for A1 South and third exit for A1 North. “Go North” Zach instructed. 

Louis turned onto the slip road, taking the third exit off the roundabout as instructed. They had to take the hard shoulder on the slip road to avoid the parked up cars but once on the main road the dual carriageway made it easier to make progress and Louis even managed to push the ambulance to just over 50 miles per hour. 

They had been driving for about 10 minutes, just turning past a sign for Newark when the worst thing happened. Louis’ line of sight down the road was suddenly disrupted by a drone hovering down in front of them. Louis slammed on the brake, but before he could maneuver away the car, the drone had flown right up to the windscreen and all Louis could do was slam on the brakes even harder until they were stationary. A red light beam was cast by the drone and moved across Louis’ stunned visage as if scanning him. The light went out and suddenly there was a flashing blue light being emitted from the drone. 

“Shit” Zach cursed out, “I think it’s recognised you and sent out a beacon Louis!” Zach jumped out of the now stationary vehicle and shot the drone out of the sky before it could turn to fire on him. He leapt back into the passenger seat and screamed at Louis. “They know we are here now, we have to get off the motorway and find some place to hide. Take the slip road!”

Louis veered off towards the left and wove his way through to the slip road. When they reached the top they hit a roundabout with a sign to a retail park and Garden Centre at the third exit. “Head to the Garden Centre” Zach shouted, look for a warehouse with van access, we might be able to hide there”.

Louis did as instructed following the sign for Boundary Mills Retail Park and Garden Centre. He reached the car park and noticed the sign for Customer Collection which sounded promising so he drove that way. The signs led to a parking area in front of an office and sure enough to the side there appeared to be a roll up door large enough for lorry access. 

“Wait here” Zach instructed as he jumped from the cab and moved toward the office aiming his gun in front of him. When he reached the office he opened the door, which thankfully was not locked and entered. Everything was quiet for a few very long, tense minutes but then Louis saw the roller door beginning to lift. With relief he drove forward as soon as he judged the door to be open enough. No sooner had the got inside then the door was closing again pitching them into darkness. 

Louis jumped down from the cab and ran around to the rear flinging the doors open to check on his passengers. Harry leapt up from the trolley with a look of relief on his face and flung himself at Louis. “Christ Louis the ambulance stopped and there were gunshots, I thought someone had hijacked us, I thought you were…….. Oh God Louis!” Now Harry was sobbing and clutching at his overalls tightly.

“Ssssh Harry Shhh I’m Ok, I’m Ok.” He said trying to soothe him. He noted that Zach had arrived back and that Catherine was hugging him to her in a similar way. 

“Come on” Zach urged “We need to go find a vantage spot so we can see if anyone is approaching, we are going to have to lie low here for a bit until we are sure there are no search parties.”

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry has his nose buried in Louis neck sniffing him in as he tries to control his tears. He knows he needs to get a grip, he can hear Zach telling them they have to go find a place to hide out, but right now he is struggling to breathe.

He grits his teeth and forces himself to breathe deeply while he counts to ten. When he feels he can bring himself to lift his face up from Louis’s neck and focus on moving he does so. Louis has grabbed his hand and is tugging him so Harry allows himself to be led. They follow Zach into an office that looks out onto the car park they just came from. 

“Ok” Zach says “You boys stay here. If you see anyone approaching one of you run back to find me. Catherine and I are going to scout for better hiding places and also see if there is any useful equipment here.” Zach puts his hand into his shirt front and pulls out a small handgun which he holds out to them. “Keep a hold of this but don’t use it unless it’s an emergency as it will give away our location if it’s heard.” he says.

Harry allows Louis to take the gun as he doesn’t think there is any way he could shoot it even if he had to. He watches Louis nod and then Zach and Catherine leave them alone. 

Louis still has a hold of his hand and pulls him gently toward the window where they crouch down low enough to be out of immediate sight from the car park but not so much that they can’t still see out themselves. 

Once they are settled Louis wraps his arm gently around his shoulders and pulls him over so that his head is resting on Louis’s shoulder. “Are you OK Haz?” he asks gently. Harry considers the question, the truth is he’s scared, but he’s also with Louis and they have been through so much together these last few days he has to believe they can get through anything so he nods and manages a smile.

He hears Louis sigh and feels him pull him closer to him. They stay in that position watching the deserted car park together. At one point a dog walks across stopping to sniff quickly at a litter bin, but other than that it’s all really quiet.

They do see one or two drones flying over and can only assume they are looking for them and the ambulance. Harry wonders how long it will be before they send actual troops out to search for them. It’s starting to get dark outside and he is worried that if the army are able to move around and use intfra-red they will be at a distinct disadvantage. 

Harry is suddenly aware of the sound of approaching engines, as he and Louis listen the sound gets louder, it’s definitely more than one vehicle and by the sound of it they are heading this way. 

The sound brings Zach and Catherine back to the office and they duck down next to them. 

A couple of minutes pass and then a convoy of about 6 armoured vehicles can be seen driving up the slip road they came off from the A1. Three of the vehicles peel of to drive toward Newark itself but three are coming this way.

As the three vehicles reach the roundabout that exits to their car park the three vehicles separate taking one exit each. 

The four watch in silence as the one remaining vehicle enters the car park and parks up. Harry feels like he is holding his breath as he hears Zach readying his gun and setting himself up to shoot if the soldiers approach. 

The doors to the vehicle open and two figures emerge both dressed in army fatigues. They start across the car park toward the office and Zach is getting ready to fire. But something isn’t right, the soldier in front looks confident striding towards them but the one behind looks like he’s shaking and it’s almost as if the front soldier is covering him which is odd.

Zach learns forward to fire but Louis suddenly shouts out “Stop! I know that fucking walk. That is friendlies out there. Just stay here, I am going to talk to them!” 

Louis gets up and backs out of the office and Harry lunges after him. “Louis! Wait, what are you doing?” he shouts. “It’s Ok Harry” Louis shouts back “Trust me!”.

Louis runs over to the roller door and shouts at Harry to raise it slightly. Harry decides that now is the time to trust Louis so he does as he’s asked and raises the door. He stands there with his hand poised over the button ready to shut the doors back down if Louis tells him. But Louis doesn’t tell him too, instead he rolls under the door and Harry can only see his legs as he stands up.

He has to wait for what seems to be an age before the door is raised high enough to allow him to clearly see the scene outside. Louis is standing there with his arms raised above his head and the two soldiers are approaching doing the same. Except then Louis is running toward them and, wait he’s hugging them.

But then Harry gets a proper look at the two soldiers and grins. One of them is Liam and the other is not a soldier at all it’s Zayn. He leaves the button and runs out to join them, launching himself into the group hug.

“Well as lovely as this all is I need to know what the fuck is going on and quickly” he hears Zach say from behind them. 

Liam turns round and then nods when he recognises both Catherine and Zach, although he does look a little quizzical at finding them there. “I will explain everything but first I need to call in the all clear on this search so they don’t send back up. When I have done that we need to hide the car so it looks like we have moved onto the next location.”

“There is room in the warehouse” Zach says pointing behind them to where the ambulance is now visible beyond the doors.

“Brilliant” says Liam, “Zayn you wait here” and he turns and sprints back to the armoured car. Harry sees him speak on the radio for a bit and then he is climbing into the driver’s seat and driving toward them. They step to the side so that Liam can drive into the warehouse and park up.

Zach beckons them all inside and bangs his hand down on the button to bring the door back down. “Come on” he says “Catherine and I found a stocked up coffee shop earlier. If Liam has given the all clear hopefully we are safe here for a while, whilst they search elsewhere. Liam bring the radio with you so we can listen in.”

Liam picks the radio up from the vehicle and they all follow Zach and Catherine into the main store and a to a coffee shop safely in the middle away from the windows. 

Before they reach the tables Harry grabs Louis’s hand and tugs him back. “You scared me” he tells him quietly. “I am sorry babe, but thanks for trusting me” Louis tells him kissing him softly “It means a lot”. Harry kisses him back and then they turn back to the others as Harry knows that Louis must be anxious to know what has happened and if his Dad’s ok.

They sit down at a table and Catherine brings over some cans of Coke and packs of biscuits that they tuck into eagerly. 

“So what happened?” Harry asks he can’t wait any longer.

“After Louis was snatched security got much tighter. The Colonel seemed to suspect that Zayn had an involvement somehow. I think the fact that he was there just before it happened was just too suspicious. Although they didn’t know who Harry was so couldn’t understand why he was taken. Anyway I was worried about Zayn so I smuggled him a uniform incase we needed a disguise for a quick escape and I was monitoring the communications incase there was any order to detain him or your father given.” 

“About an hour ago I heard the message on the comms that a drone had spotted Louis on the A1, which is actually really close to the base. They didn’t know if Louis had escaped the resistance or if he was aiding them in some way, but all units were scrambled to search for him. I knew that this could be really bad for your father and Zayn but I also knew that I needed to come on the mission so I might be able to help you.”

“Thanks mate” Louis said

“No problem. Anyway I decided this was really my chance to get Zayn of the base. I ran to the laboratory and told him to change. I was just trying to figure out how to get your father out too when a note was pushed under the door. It said it was from the resistance and told your dad to stay in the lab. Apparently the information had got through to them that so many soldiers were being dispatched to look for Louis and the resistance are planning to take the opportunity to grab your father.”

“But my mum and sisters! They’re not safe yet!” Louis spoke up sounding panicked and Harry instinctively grabbed his hand. “Zach you have to let Alberto know, tell him to grab Louis’s family he can go for Mum and Gems later!” he said to Zach.

“I can’t contact him until we meet at the rendezvous point, and we can’t go there while the soldiers are still patrolling” Zach said apologetically. “Don’t worry word will have got through to Albertos men at RAF Scampton. They already have it staked out, I promise they will make a move if they have to Louis” he said trying to look reassuring.

Louis just swallowed and nodded “Go on Liam” he said “What happened next?”

“Well you dad insisted I should get Zayn out of there so we walked out of the lab, and found my patrol vehicle. We literally just drove out of the base with the rest of the patrols, it was a rushed scramble they were accounting for drivers and vehicles but not necessarily worrying about occupants. Orders were to scout out the entire area around the sighting, locate you and then call for backup. If a unit doesn’t report in from a posting we are to assume they have been compromised and reinforcement troops will go to that point.”

“We probably have about another 20 minutes until I should report in from where I am supposed to be next” If i don’t they will go there first to check, but if they don’t find anything there I assume they might return here to double check I wasn’t taken out after giving the all clear here. We should be able to track them via the radio but even so it would be better if we could get out of here.” he concluded.

“Can you navigate us a safe route?” Zach asked.

“Yes if we double back through the zone we already searched we should have clear run. I will need you guys to hide in the back, if they send a drone to check they need to only see me. I think we should be ok though the drones are busy looking for you and not military vehicles and I am imagining if the resistance hit the base the drones will be called back there too.”

“Ok” Zach says after some consideration “I think I know some back roads to the rendezvous point. It will take longer but with the help of Liam’s radio to track a clear path we should be able to make it before Alberto gives up on us.”

“Alberto?” Liam asks and Harry realises that he doesn’t know the role Alberto plays in the resistance. “There’s quite a lot we need to fill you in on Liam” Harry says but we can tell you in the car. I hope you have room for our bags they are in the ambulance”.

“Sure” says Liam getting up with purpose, “Let’s go then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in posting I lost my mojo for a bit but now it's back and we are almost there.


	16. Rendezvous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Penultimate Chapter

Chapter 16 - Rendezvous

Transferring the equipment they needed and the luggage from the ambulance into the armoured car proves a little challenging. There is also the challenge of squeezing 5 people into the back seats which are only designed for two soldiers and their equipment. With a space in front of each seat to allow the soldiers stationed there to kneel down in the footwell to direct gunfire out of the small side windows, from the two mounted machine guns, if necessary there is just about space for four but it is not going to be comfortable. Louis looks at the space available and scratches his head. “I think someone is going to have to travel in front with you Liam” he concludes.

Liam scrunches up his face looking thoughtful. “It can’t be Zayn” he says “they may have discovered he’s missing by now and the drones will be programmed to look for him. Someone else needs to put on Zayn's uniform. It can’t be Louis or Harry as they are on the search database to”

“And the drone scanned Zach with me earlier” Louis added “So i guess that leaves Catherine” 

“Ok Catherine go and change into Zayn’s uniform. Zayn you will need to grab something from the shop to put on, be as quick as you can” Liam directed, as the two nodded and hurried off back into the store.

“Ok, Louis and Harry climb in and get comfortable as you can on the floor” Liam suggested and Louis beckoned Harry to climb in first and lie down. Once Harry looked at least partially comfortable Louis climbed in too, wiggling his smaller body so that the majority of his weight was placed on his side that rested on the floor, his other side resting on top of Harry. 

Louis relaxed down onto Harry’s chest, he was quite cushioned with Harry under him but he was conscious that once they got going Harry was going to feel every bump and bounce of the road. “Can someone run and fetch a cushion or pillow from the store for Harry please?” he asked.

“I will” Liam volunteered “Zach you climb in on the back seat and leave some room for Zayn, we need to get off as soon as they get back here”

Zach clambered across the back seat keeping his legs tucked up so as not to trample on Louis and Harry, which Louis was grateful for because Zach did look to have very large feet. Zach had just got himself settled when Zayn arrived back and climbed into fill the remaining space on the back seat. Louis noted he had changed into jeans and sweatshirt and looked as much like a male model as ever. 

Liam returned then, passing Louis across a pillow, which Louis slipped gently under Harry’s head, after cradling his neck to lift it enough to allow the pillow to be slipped in. 

Seeing that everyone was safely positioned in the back Liam shut the door. Louis didn’t miss the lingering look that Liam gave Zayn before he did so. Louis could then see Liam signalling to Catherine, who was now in the army fatigues, hair tucked up into the cap. Catherine climbed up into the front passenger seat and Liam walked around to the driver’s seat, hopping in.

Once the doors were closed, Liam turned to the back of the vehicle, where everyone was squashed in, “ready?” he asked to which there was a chorus of yes’s. “OK” Liam responded “I am going to drive at a steady pace so as not to look suspicious”

They pulled out of the warehouse, with Liam momentarily jumping out to shut the door to the warehouse to obscure the ambulance from view. Liam jumped back in and they were on their way, Zach directing Liam to head toward the town of Newark.

After about 10 minutes of travelling they turned onto a back road which Zach said led toward Nottingham. As Zach said they would be on this road for about 10 miles Louis decided he had time to get a bit more comfy and maybe even grab some rest. He wriggled a bit until he was able to turn his head in order to be able to see the sky outside through the window. The sky was dark now but Louis could not see stars, which suggested it was cloudy.

“I think there might be a storm coming” Liam said as if reading Louis mind “That’s good as the drones can’t fly in strong winds which will give us a safer run”

Louis thinks this might be the first time he’s ever wished for storm!

They carry on driving for another 20 minutes, everyone silent in the vehicle, apart from the sound of breathing as the sky darkens further. Louis is just starting to feel his eyelids growing heavy when Liam shouts out a warning from the front. 

“There’s a drone heading this way! Everyone in the back get down and keep your faces away from sight. Catherine just stay calm and try to act natural!” Liam says taking control of the situation. Not for the first time Louis is pleased to have Liam around.

Louis flips over onto his front, shielding Harry’s face from view with his shoulder and burying his own face into Harry’s neck allowing his curls to fall across his cheek and obscure his face from view also. He takes deep calming breaths against Harry’s neck and feels Harry grab his hand tightly.

They wait in silence as Liam continues to drive. Then Louis is aware of tapping sounds on the roof and windows. He doesn’t risk looking up but he doesn’t need to when Liam explains. “It’s hailing” he says, Then he lets out a relieved sigh and says “The drone is turning away, I am guessing they are being grounded during the bad weather. Hopefully they weren’t suspicious of us and won’t send a patrol to check us out. If the weather persists we might have a free run to the rendezvous point. 

The storm fully moves in with hail being replaced by torrents of rain, and Liam has to drive slowly but at least it means the drones stay out of the sky and the roads are deserted of any wandering people, even as they drive through the small villages that intersect the road at regular intervals. When they get near to Nottingham Zach directs them onto a bypass to steer clear of the main city. 

After another 10 minutes Zach directs Liam to take a turn off the bypass and onto a side road.  
This road is is much narrower and winding and Liam has to slow down even more to ensure they don’t end up in one of the drainage ditches which, Liam informs them, run along each side of the road. Louis’s stomach is starting to churn a bit with travel sickness from the motion without the ability to see fully outside. All he has been able to see for the last hour is the rain running down the small side window and he shadows of trees they pass.

“Turn right just here” Zach says and Liam swings to the right. It feels like they are on a mud track and the bumps are much harder jolting Louis’s spine harshly every ten seconds or so. He guesses Harry is feeling it worse as he’s lying directly on the floor and he notices the grimace of pain on his face. 

“Liam is it safe for us to sit up back here now” Louis asks.

Liam confirms that it should be ok, so Louis manoeuvres himself to his knees and snakes an arm under Harry’s back to pull him into a sitting position. This works much better as Louis can rest his chin on Harry’s shoulder which is comforting in itself, and look out of the side window, which already helping the travel sickness. 

They are indeed travelling down a very dark mud track, toward what appears to be a large farm house with outbuildings. Zach directs Liam to pull up into one of the outbuildings where there is another car parked up. “Looks like Paul’s here already” Zach says sounding pleased. 

They park up, under the shelter of the outbuilding, and gently untangle themselves, waking up body parts so they can all climb out of the car. Louis is very grateful for the shelter as it still blowing a gale and raining heavily outside. 

Once they are all out of the vehicle and stretching out in the barn Zach and Liam walk over to the other car to check it out. It’s a SUV style car and it appears to have a number of bullet holes in one side. “Looks like Paul hit a bit of trouble” Zach reflects thoughtfully “We best get up to the main house and check everything is ok!”

Louis grabs the bags from the back of car and walks over to Harry, handing him over his. They both grab a waterproof jacket and zip the bags back up. Wrapping themselves up well they hitch their bags onto their shoulders and join the others over by the entrance. “Ready?” Liam asks and as everyone nods he slides open the door. They are immediately assaulted by horizontal rain driven against their face by a severe wind. 

“Take each other’s hands and keep against the buildings as much as you can” Liam instructs. “I will lead the way, Zach you bring up the rear”.

Louis grabs hold of Harry’s hand and takes Zayn’s hand in his other, Zayn has hold of Liam’s hand and they are on their way, Liam holding a gun in his spare hand incase they hit trouble. 

They are nearing the main house when suddenly a female voice shouts from the door. “Harry!” and then there are various figures launching themselves through the rain at them. Louis feels Harry’s hand ripped from him and he is about to fight to save his boy when he hears him shout, “Mum! Gemma!” and then he’s hugging the two leading figures tightly. 

Louis doesn’t have time to enjoy the moment of Harry’s reunion before he is being hit from his other side and tackled to the waterlogged ground. He tries to wriggle free before he hears a familiar voice coming from the body pressed on top of him. “Louis lad! Missed you!” came the Irish tones he knows so well. “Niall!” he exclaims hugging his best friend tightly to him. “Oh thank god!”

“As touching as this might be, can we take it inside please?” Paul shouts from the doorway. 

Louis manages to untangle himself from Niall’s embrace and get to his feet, following Harry and his family inside.

The door leads into a cosy looking farmhouse kitchen where a wood fired arger is alight in one corner, a kettle on top whistling to indicate that it was boiled.

“Get your wet things off” Paul instructs and everyone shuffled in to the room “I am making tea!”

Once they had removed coats and outside layers and were sat sipping mugs of tea around the large oak table, Louis was able to fully take in the new additions to their group. Harry’s mum was a kind faced lady with dark hair, who was currently evidencing a wide smile just like Harry’s. The young girl sitting next to her looked to about 2-3 years older than Louis, she was observing the others in the room appearing cautious, this Louis assumes must be Harry’s sister Gemma. Just then Gemma’s eyes moved across to Louis and she returned his stare raising her eyebrows. Louis thought she looked truly fearsome, until he heard Harry chuckling, it was such a heartwarming sound.

“Gemma, please don’t scare my Louis with your glaring”. Harry chastised.

“Your Louis?” said both Gemma and Niall together while Harry’s mum smiled even wider. 

“Yup” Louis responded, ensuring Harry did not feel embarrassed by the potential slip of the tongue. “Pleased to meet you Mrs Styles and Gemma, Harry has told me a lot about you both” he added.

Niall was patting him heavily on the back “Way to go Louis” he said, his voice full of gaiety as always. Louis was so glad that whatever ordeal he might have been through had not affected him too badly, or at least not enough to kill his spirit.

He turned to his best friend, hugging him again “I am so glad you are here, but how come?” 

“The day after you two left the base they started shipping us out to the camps in groups. I think they wanted to try to lock down the base for just the military and scientists to keep it secure. Ed, Shawn and I were shipped off to the Sheffield camp.” Niall shared.

“When we got to the camp Ed and Shawn asked around and found the resistance insiders, they told them of the plan to snatch your mum and sister. The lads put two and two together and realised this must be Harry’s family, so naturally I made sure to go and introduce myself. By the way Harry’s sister is one hell of a girl!” Niall related, glancing across to Gemma and winking, to which Gemma just rolled her eyes.

“I asked the resistance guys if I could go with the ladies when they went, I mean Ed and Shawn are nice enough but they aren’t my best buddy and I was worried about you” the last part of the sentence was breathed into Louis’s neck as Niall hugged Louis tightly. Louis couldn’t help but shed a happy tear. 

“So what happened to Alberto?” Zach asked of Paul.

“He went on ahead to Doncaster for Louis family, apparently there were some complications with that and he was needed.” Paul replied.

Louis pulled back from Niall anxious once again. 

“They got them out Louis” Paul tried to assure him “But there is a lot of troops up there and they needed a distraction to be able to safely get them out of the area, so Alberto went up to help with that.”

“And my Dad?” Louis asked “Did they get to him?”

“Honestly I don’t know” Paul said regretfully, “Alberto hadn’t heard from that team when we split up and he’s got the only working radio so I haven’t had contact. The plan is to get to Chatham House and wait for news there. Talking of which I am afraid we have to go the rest of the way by foot, we don’t want the cars to be tracked there, The fact that the building is occupied needs to be kept a secret, and the drones can follow car tracks, especially on wet mud roads like the driveway down to the house itself. It’s about a five mile walk through the woods and we need to go as soon as the storm dies down enough.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As it turns out they had to wait about 2 hours for the rain to let up enough for it to be viable to walk and during that time Harry had sipped on numerous cups of tea and taken plenty of time to catch up with his family. His mum and Gemma had told him about how they had been picked up by the military and taken to the base the day after the lights. They had been among the first to arrive and had been chipped and sent off a week later. 

When Harry had become agitated that the trackers might still be active and lead the military straight to them, Paul had explained that they had in fact been deactivated by the wristband that Louis had given him before the mission. His mum and Gemma had then rather proudly shown off the small wounds on their arms where Paul had removed the trackers once they arrived at the farmhouse earlier that afternoon.

At first Louis had kept his distance while Harry and his family talked, Harry assumed because he didn’t want to intrude. Somehow though Harry felt like he couldn’t fully appreciate the reunion if his family did not get to know Louis, after what they had been through together Louis now felt like his family too. He had called Louis over to him and pulled him onto his lap encouraging him to join in with the conversation, and before long Louis was charming the pants off his mum just by being himself, although Gemma was continuing to give him guarded looks. 

Gemma was always so protective of him, and he did have a history of falling too hard too quickly for boys who just wanted an easy lay, and who left him as soon as they realised that Harry was not that boy. Harry just knew this time though Louis was so much more and was offering so much more. He was as certain as he could be that Louis and he had something special and he really hoped he was going to get a chance to prove that to Gemma if they could just get to safety.

While Harry had been catching up with his family, Niall had been busy raiding the cupboards for snacks for now and food to pack into their bags to take with them. Paul had tried to reassure him that the Chatham kitchens were well stocked but Niall had said that you could never been too careful. 

As the time had passed waiting for the rain to ease Paul had become more and more agitated pacing the kitchen. Liam and Zayn had gone upstairs to watch from a bedroom window incase any vehicles approached, but even with this lookout in place Paul did not seem comfortable with them staying put.

When finally it seemed as if the rain had begun to ease off and it looked like the sky might be clearing a little he had urged everyone to pack their things up and get ready to go. Harry pulled his outdoor coat back on and checked if his mum and sister had waterproof coats to wear, when they assured him that they did he turned to Louis who was pulling on his own coat and grimacing slightly from where it was wet from Niall earlier pushing him into the puddle during his over enthusiastic greeting. Harry shook his head and went into his bag for a thick jumper and light waterproof zip up jacket that he had, urging Louis to put that on instead. Louis rolled his eyes but smiled gratefully and did as he was instructed, 

They all set out 5 minutes later following behind Paul as he led them into the woods behind the house, with Zach keeping a watchful guard at the rear. The ground was waterlogged and it didn’t take long before their shoes were too, and Harry felt cold down to his bones within half an hour. He wasn’t surprised when his numb feet stumbled on a tree root, but he was relieved when he didn’t fall as Louis caught him by the waist. After that Louis had kept a firm hold on him to keep him steady.

Another half hour or so later they reached a river and Paul cursed. The current was aggressive from the heavy rainfall and there didn’t appear to be bridge in sight. “We need to cross that!” Paul explained. “I think there should be a walkway across but the water level has risen too high and covered it.”

Liam wanders over to the edge of the bank and peers into the depths of the rapidly running water. “There a boardwalk crossing but it’s under about a foot of water” he calls back, “Does anyone have any rope?”

They don’t have rope, and they all look a bit despondent before Harry has an idea. We could tie some clothes together from our backpacks to form a line he suggested. 

“It might work but we need to use woollen clothes that will knot tightly and give us something to grip onto.” Liam directs. So everyone offloads their backpacks and pulls out anything woollen which Liam and Paul then knot together.

“Alright” says Liam “We need to tie one end of this to a sturdy tree and I will tie the rest to my waist so I can take it across to the other side and fasten it there. Then everyone else can cross one or two at a time with something to hold onto. Last one to cross ties this end to their waist and we can have all the clothes back to take with us”

Liam fastens one end of the haphazardly constructed line to his waist while Paul takes the other end and ties it round a sturdy looking Oak close to the river edge. Then Liam takes a deep breath and steps down into the water. The current almost immediately takes him and he staggers slightly but then seems to find his feet and edges further across the river with small side steps. Everyone watches with baited breath until Liam pulls himself up the opposite bank and finds a tree to fasten the line to, making sure that it’s pulled taut.

One by one they start to cross over to Liam. Zayn goes first holding tightly to the line, knuckles white. He wobbles once in the middle and Harry holds his breath, but he makes it across and is rewarded by a hug as Liam hauls him out of the water.

Next up is Harry’s mum, he would offer to go with her but he’s probably more of an liability. Thankfully Gemma is much more sure footed and offers to escort their mum across. Harry is really anxious as he watches and Louis comes up to him from behind and spoons him firmly in support until both Gemma and his mum are safely up on opposite riverbank. 

Catherine goes next escorted by Zach, they both seem sure footed and make good time. Next it’s Niall who insists he is fine to go over alone and Harry is impressed by the confidence he exudes and he crosses easily. 

“Ok” Paul says to them “You two boys go next and then I will bring up the rear” Harry swallowed nervously and Louis smiles at him all assurance. “It’s alright I’ve got you” he says I won’t let you fall.”

They walk over to the riverbank and Louis holds one of his hands as he lowers himself into the water and grabs a hold of the line with his free hands. He can feel the fast currently tugging at his calves, trying to take his feet from him. Louis eases his other hand onto the line and tells him to hold on tight as he too enters the water and grabs the line. “Ok” Louis says genty “Just take small steady steps and we will be there in no time”. 

They start across the river and it gets deeper in the middle, brushing against Harry’s knees. He grips the line tighter, but then feels it jerk under his hand. Looking to the side he just catches Louis slipping onto his knees water up to his chest. He’s going to get swept away, Harry realises with horror and without a second thought he is reaching down and dragging Louis up and in front of him re-grasping the line on the other side and caging Louis between his arms. He can feel Louis trembling but he can’t wait for him to ground himself they have to keep moving before the current takes them, so he pushes on nudging Louis to move with him and whispering encouragements.

They reach the bank and Gemma and Niall are hauling them up, Gemma hugging him tight and Niall almost crushing Louis who still looks dazed and trembly. It’s only a few minutes and then Paul is scrambling up behind them. Liam instructs them to take a breather and change into dry clothes, and Paul says they have got about 3 miles left to go. 

Harry wriggles out of his jeans in favour of some dry tracksuit bottoms and packs his jeans and reclaimed woolies back into his bag. Louis has to change his top also having been almost fully submerged, so Harry helps him to pack his bag too. Once changed Louis turns and holds him tightly thanking him. “No need to thank me Louis” he says. “Yes there is, you saved me back there I was sure I was a gonna.” Louis insisted his voice still shaky. “I promise you that was entirely selfish” Harry whispers back “I don’t want to even think about losing you, and I am certainly going to catch you if I can.” 

Louis smiled and pulled him into a soft kiss before Paul was chiding them to stop it with the smut and get moving so they could get to shelter before it started tipping it down again. Harry smiled and helped Louis on with his backpack before they continued on their way. 

They walked for around another two hours getting drenched on a couple of occasions when the storm blew up again, but they didn’t encounter any more major obstacles. Just as Harry was starting to feel blisters forming on his feet Liam called out from up ahead. “I think we may be here guys!” They all clustered up to the front to gather around Liam and follow the line of his pointing finger and indeed there it was, an amazing rambling stately home. Harry gasped, it looked even more impressive than on the television and he started to walk forward for a better look when Paul grabbed ahold of the back of his coat.

“Whoa Harry” he said “ There’s a security cordon around the house, hidden electric fencing if you step on it you will get a proper jolt I need to use the walkie talkie to call ahead to the house and get it taken down so we can cross”

Paul took the radio unit from his pocket and had a brief exchange with someone called Mike. Once off the radio Paul signalled in a forward motion “It’s ok to proceed but go quick, don’t worry about leaving the tree line the drones can’t fly over here!” Harry wanted to ask why but thought that given the urgency in Paul’s order to go he should probably move now and ask questions later.

They moved swiftly out of the woods, stepping over a number of partially concealed wires and started down the hill to the main building. Harry barely contained his gasp of excitement as they passed the lake, the one that had produced the dripping wet Mr Darcy of his younger wet dreams. He looked to the side to see Louis smirking at him, with perhaps a hint of mischief in his eyes.

When the reached the main entrance to the beautiful building the door opened and a couple of men stepped out, introducing themselves as Mike and Mitch. Apparently they had been looking after the building and sorting out the perimeter security ever since the night of the event. They worked for Tony in the secret service, for whom this was one of the buildings that was used to house a secret high security comms room. Tony had dispatched them there himself, before using the service’s gangland plants to facilitate the bringing together of a resistance movement when they realised the extent of the army’s involvement in the emerging events. Harry listened to the men relaying this and wondered how he got to be a player in what sounded like a movie script. What next was James Bond going to step out of the drawing room?

Once they had all gone inside and dropped their bags to the floor glad to be free of the weight, Mike and Mitch offered to take them on a tour of the building and to show them to the rooms where they could sleep. Harry was surprised that the old building felt so warm inside. When he mentioned this Mitch responded by informing him that there was a very clever hot air heating system throughout the main part of the house driven by log burners in the kitchens. They also informed them that they did have electricity from a generator, much of that was needed to power the perimeter security fence and also the electromagnetic pulses that they could direct at any approaching drone to redirect them around the perimeter rather than allowing them to fly over the grounds and the building itself. Apparently that technology had been in place here ever since news stations started using drones to report, just incase they stumbled upon the covert operations at the building. 

The tour led them to a number of living rooms, one with a lovely grand piano that had Harry really excited. They also saw the large kitchens which his mum looked really pleased to see, especially when exploration of the cupboards revealed them to be full of tinned and dried foods as well as a variety of fresh vegetables. “There is a well kept vegetable garden outside” Mitch said “Unfortunately the gardener passed away shortly after we arrived from the effects of the lights. I don’t suppose any of you are keen gardeners?” he asked.

“I am and I love to cook” Harry heard his mum volunteer. 

“Looks like we got lucky then” said Mitch with a smile.

Next they found a large room, which was probably originally a ballroom. It had a number of beds and medical supplies in it. “We tried to make a makeshift hospital for the affected staff when we first got here but none of those affected made it past the first week” Mike said sadly. “The only staff member we now have left here is Ted the stable master. He’s out in the stables now settling the horses, Alberto just arrived with a couple of new ones”. 

“Alberto?” Louis asked sounding eager. “Was he on his own?”

“No he had a young lady with him, and a couple of his men I think” Mike responded. 

“Come on I will take you up to your rooms, you can get into some dry clothes by which time Alberto’s party should be at the house.” 

They were taken to a wing of the house with a long corridor containing multiple bedrooms. Mitch indicated that all eight bedrooms were free on this floor. Gemma took the first they came to with Harry’s mum taking the one across the hall from her. Then Niall took the one next to Gemma, rather too eagerly Harry felt. It suddenly struck Harry that Louis might want a room to himself, although he really hoped they could share like they had in the chalet. He needn’t have worried though as Louis pulled him into the door next to Niall saying in a loud voice “Come on curly this is us” and adding in a whisper, “Probably best if we aren’t right next door to your mum” and giving him one of his dirty winks. Harry blushed and followed Louis into the room. As he turned to close the door he noticed Zayn enter the door opposite them and Liam following him into that room too, interesting. 

Before Harry could think about it more Louis had swung him around to face him and was kissing him hard, pushing his back flat against the door. Harry kissed back enthusiastically stroking his hands down Louis’s back until they met his perfect backside. He sunk his fingers into the flesh underneath his hands and opened his eyes to look at his boy. That’s when he took in the room over Louis’s shoulder, “wow!” The bed was a huge four poster in dark wood with multiple pillows pushed up against the back and a gold satin embroidered cover. It looked like the dream spot to lose his virginity to this beautiful boy in his arms, but he knew that first and foremost Louis needed to go and see Alberto and get news of his family, so he pulled back from the kiss so they could both catch their breath.

“Later I want you to fuck me on that bed” he said to make his intentions clear. Louis looked at the bed and shook his head before taking both of Harry’s cheeks in his hands and turning his head to face him again. “No” he said softly “Later I am going to make love to you on that bed after kissing every inch of your body to show you how much I love you and how lucky I feel to have found you.”

Harry swallowed feeling suddenly light headed, but managing to keep it together for Louis’s sake. “I will hold you to that he rasped back. But first get we need to get changed into dry clothes and go and find out about your family from Alberto ok?”

“Ok” Louis responded softly, giving him one more chaste kiss to his lips before pulling away to rip off his clothes.

Harry stood almost transfixed as he watched Louis strip to his underpants and then bend over to pull clean clothes from his backpack, before he managed to shake himself into action and change his own clothes.

Once they were both dressed they looked at each other before grasping hands and heading back down the stairs to the hallway. When the reached the front door, Louis opened it with shaking hands and looked out, letting out a breath as he did so. Harry peered over his shoulder to see Alberto walking across the lawns in front of the house with a couple of burly looking men and a petite young girl with long platinum blond hair. “Lottie” Louis exclaims and then he’s running over the gravel drive and onto the lawn and the young girl is screaming his name and running to him. They make contact and Louis is swinging Lottie around, an ecstatic and beautiful smile on his face. Harry feels the smile on his own face and the wet trickle of a tear make its way down his cheek as he realises how much Louis loves his sister and how worried he must have been.

Later as they are all sat around in the kitchen Lottie is telling them how one of the resistance posing as a soldier had come for her family, where they had been locked in an outbuilding at the base. They had been loaded onto vehicles when Alberto had arrived and explained who they were and that they taking them to their father. When Alberto had mentioned that Louis was with the resistance in a safe place elsewhere Lottie had been worried for him, her sisters had their mum and soon their dad but Lottie did not want Louis to be all alone. She had asked Alberto to take her to Louis and Alberto had said he didn’t see why not, they would need another young pair of hands anyway.

They had travelled back to a rendezvous point where Lottie had said goodbye to her family and they had picked up horses to come here. Lottie was good with horses, having had lessons when she was younger and she happily told them that Ted had asked her to help out at the stables during her stay.

The others joined them over the next 30 minutes or so and they then all stayed up as long as they were physically able, talking about their experiences in recent weeks, everyone catching up with what they had missed from each other’s lives whilst they were seperated. Eventually when they couldn’t stay awake any longer and Lottie had found herself a bedroom next to his mum Harry took Louis back into their bedroom, where they found some reserves of energy and Louis kept his promise from earlier. 

They both cried with happiness that night as they made love slowly amid declarations of love and afterwards Harry held Louis tightly to his chest breathing him in as they both fell to sleep in their luxurious bed secure in knowing their families were safe, at least for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just one more chapter to go - thanks so much for sticking with this.


	17. The End?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter - happiness and reunions

Chapter 17 - The End?

Louis blinked his eyes open as he woke up in the wonderfully luxurious bed, it had been three months since they arrived at Chatsworth House and he wasn’t sure he would ever get over this bed. It helped that he had so many great memories in that bed, all the firsts that he had with Harry, each one making him fall more and more in love. Harry had proven to be a very enthusiastic lover, always wanting to try new things, and Louis was definitely, more besotted than ever. 

Louis’s favourite times in that bed, however, had been the simple cuddles they would share there when they had down time together. They had found an old wind up gramophone player and a whole selection of vinyl in one of the museum rooms in the house that had previously been set up for tourists. So on quiet, cold winter evenings they would just crawl into bed together, cuddle up, and discover old music, making a game of taking it in turns to give a music review after each disc in traditional English radio broadcaster accents.

They did have electricity in some parts of the house during the day, powered by solar panels on the large roof, which was necessary for the laboratory and communication centre, they also had a small generator for emergencies or overcast days. However, diesel to power the generator was a precious commodity so the evenings were spent by the light of candles, which they would burn in the main reception rooms downstairs. 

The small group of people living in the house would all gather together in the evening if there had been some news from the outside via the comms or on the rare occasion of Alberto’s visits. Louis and Niall also enjoyed organising a range of competitive sporting activities to try to keep everyone a bit active. They had a football pitch marked out on the front lawn and table tennis and snooker inside. Louis had even learned to appreciate croche having found a set in one of the sheds outside.

Blinking his eyes properly awake Louis looked over to Harry’s side of the bed, noting with a sigh that it was empty. Harry had taken responsibility for the kitchen garden and also helped his mum with the catering in the kitchen which meant he was often up early, creeping out and letting Louis sleep in. Louis appreciated the sleep but missed waking up to warm soft cuddles. 

In favour of conserving batteries and fuel, timekeeping in the house was mostly done via the antique wind up clocks that had been previously kept in the house for authenticity rather than functionality. Louis eased himself out of bed and opened the door to peak at the grandfather clock on the landing. It was 8am, so Louis did not feel too guilty about sleeping in, he could even grab a shower in the communal bathroom and still make it down to the dining room while breakfast was still being served. 

He ducked back into the bedroom and grabbed a towel, his toiletry bag and the soft bathrobe that he and Harry shared. Toiletries were something they had managed to stockpile and had a healthy supply of due to the long shelf life. Even so Harry had been experimenting on making organic soaps in the kitchens. Alberto had also arrived at the house last week with beehives and beekeeping equipment to make wax so they could make their own candles and honey, much to Harry’s enthusiasm. He had immediately started planning which of the many flowers that grew in the grounds could be used to perfume both soap and candles. 

Smiling at the thought of Harry’s excitement Louis walked into the bathroom, slipping the bolt across gently to indicate it was occupied incase anyone else was late up. The shower would hopefully be warm as this was the one in the house that had been linked to the woodburner in the kitchen, producing hot water as long as the burner was on.

Louis turned the tap and allowed the water to run until it turned warm and then hopped in. He quickly soaped up his hair and body and then rinsed off, feeling much better. He stepped out of the shower and slipped on his robe before exiting the bathroom and padding barefoot back to his room. 

Louis dressed quickly in his usual daytime clothes of thin loose fit joggers and tee-shirt. He spent his days helping Zayn in the laboratory and had to wear overalls over his clothes so needed to avoid thick layers in order to not overheat.

He walked into the dining room just as the ornamental clock on the mantelpiece chimed for the half hour. Harry was just bringing out a large saucepan of porridge to replace the mostly empty pan that had served earlier attendees. On seeing Louis enter the room he placed the pan down on the pan holder and came over to Louis, giving him a soft kiss on his cheek and whispering “Morning sleepy head, I made you some fresh porridge and I have tried a new jam, with the first batch of strawberries from the greenhouse. Mum made fresh bread it’s on the side too”. 

“You and Anne are saints sent from heaven I swear!” Louis exclaimed happily, suddenly starving. 

Harry smiled back at him, “I will just go have a word with mum and then I will come join you for breakfast babe” he said before turning into the kitchen.

Louis walked over to the serving bench and cut himself a couple of generous slices of bread, spreading on the butter that Anne now regularly made using an old butter churn they found. The horses in the stables had been joined latterly by some dairy cows, which Lottie helped Ted the stable hand care for. It meant that she was up at the crack of dawn and that Louis never saw her until at least lunchtime, but she looked so happy when he did see her that he didn’t mind that the animals got more of her attention than he did.

As he sat down at the table Harry came bounding back in, a soft smile on his face. He spooned himself out a bowl of porridge, mixing in some of the strawberry jam and came to sit down next to Louis. 

“So what’s the plan for today babe?” Louis asked him.

“Well I was thinking I would do some baking for tea, and then maybe as it’s going to be a nice day we could take ours down to the lake for a bit of a picnic?” Harry replied with a tone of hopefulness in his voice.

Louis doesn’t need much persuasion to spend some one to one time with Harry and the evenings are getting warmer and lighter so he readily agrees “Ok I will make puppy eyes at Zayn and try to get off early, shall I meet you at the lake around 5pm?” he asks. 

“Perfect” Harry grins, digging into his porridge. “I made you some sandwiches to take to Zayn in the lab. If you work through lunch I thought it would make it more likely he let you off early for tea”

“Cunning” Louis said, winking conspiratorily.

After that they ate together in companionable silence until Niall came bounding into the room looking excited! 

“Hey guys, have you seen Liam?” he asked “Or Paul? I just heard from Alberto on the radio he’s coming over later today to pick up supplies so they can hit another of the encampments and get people out. Do you and Zayn have more tracker disablers ready?” 

“Yes” Louis responds “We have a stockpile of those in the lab. Do we know which camp they are doing?”

“Nah” Niall responds “You know Alberto, always saying it’s best we don’t know those details, just incase. I need to find Paul or Liam as Alberto said he’s bringing some new defences with him for this place, apparently they found a big machine gun which we could mount on the roof. Liam will love that, he does love his guns!”

Over the past three months the defences on the building have been vastly improved. Instead of diverting the drones away, which was going to prove suspicious if anyone noticed Niall had set up a radar system which he had found in the secret service comms facility which he had taken charge of. During the daytime the solar power allowed them to detect approaching drones and sound an alarm so that everyone could take cover before they passed over. Gemma and Niall took turns in watching over the radar and radios during daylight. At night they all had to stay inside with the heavy curtains drawn across to hide the candlelight but it meant they were not likely to be detected.

If they were detected and troops were sent Liam, Paul, Mike and Mitch had the job of border security and had been setting up an arsenal of defensive traps along the driveway and in the woods, which were only deactivated for Alberto and his men who knew to send along advanced warning when they visited.

“Alberto said he’s bringing a couple of injuries with him too, so I need to go warn Catherine to get beds set up” Niall continued. 

“I can do that on the way to the lab if you want to go find Liam and Paul” Louis volunteered “I am just about finished here”

“Sure that will be great” Niall said before bouncing out of the room calling out for Liam as he went.

Harry smiled at Louis, “He is never not happy is he” he commented. “Nope” Louis replied “I swear he’s been like that ever since I have known him. It’s why I picked him for my best mate.” 

“Well you best go and follow your mission for the day” Harry suggested, because we have a picnic rendezvous to honour later”.

Louis stood up from his seat, and made a mock salute, “Anything for you babe” he responded placing a quick kiss on Harry’s cheek before leaving the room to head for the ballroom and the makeshift hospital Catherine operated there. 

When he arrived Catherine was busy writing down a list of supplies that she was running low on. Last week she had discharged two men back to the resistance as they were well enough to leave. Alberto was determined that no one in the resistance, even his own men were to know where Louis and Zayn were and therefore any men brought to Catherine for treatment were blindfolded as they arrived and confined to the makeshift ward until they left. Louis was not allowed to meet the patients and hence he hadn’t seen much of Catherine recently, as she only left the ward when Zach took over the shift from her. Catherine had been training Zach in basic first aid and she said he was a quick learner, which Louis had observed had made him beam with pride.

“Hey Catherine” Louis called out, causing her to swing round to face him. “Oh hi Louis” she responded with a smile. “I have been running some tests and think I might have found a drug that might minimise the effects of the light pulses if the military ever use them again. If I am right we can administer it to anyone who is not immune and it will limit the effects to one hell of a migraine but nothing life threatening or blinding. I am just making a list of things I need to work on it for next time Alberto comes.”

“Good thing he is expected today then” Louis confides “I just came to let you know he’s bringing a couple more injuries for you to look at”

“Ok that’s good” says Catherine “I better go find Zach and let him know. Do Liam and Paul know?”

“Niall just went to tell them, so hopefully they do by now” Louis confirmed, just as Zach came into the room.

“Niall just told me to expect guests” he commented.

“Yes can you help me get set up?” Catherine asked.

“Sure thing honey” Zach responded and Louis decided that now was probably time to make a tactical withdrawal and get to his duties with Zayn. Waving goodbye he swivelled on his heel and walked back into the main hall.

Louis ran up the stairs and along the corridor to the room that had been set up as Zayn’s laboratory. Entering he saw Zayn already bent over the table inspecting a drone, poking around with a screwdriver.

“Hey Zayn” he called out “Sorry to be a bit late I had to stop off at Catherine to let her know she has patients coming in today. Also Alberto needs some more bands, apparently they are hitting another camp soon.”

“I know” Zayn says “I saw Gemma because your dad called just after Alberto. He thinks he has found a way we can infect the military drones with a virus that can immobilise them all. We just have to get a drone onto the base and have it pass off as one of theirs and when they plug it in to charge it will upload the virus and infect every other drone on the circuit. We just need to figure out how to upload the virus and encrypt it so it can’t be detected. Your dad sent some notes, give me a hand”

“Sure, Harry sent me with sandwiches so we can work through” Louis replied pulling on his work overalls and walking over to offer Zayn his help. Louis still felt so bad about his dad’s part in the events that had cost so many innocent lives, but it did help that they had a chance to help in the fight to try to take back control for the people who had been so wronged. Filling his days helping Zayn in any small way gave him a purpose and although it didn’t make things right, it made it possible to carry on without the weight of his guilt crushing him. That and the fact that Harry, with his pure soul, could look him in the eye with love and not disgust gave him hope that he was worthy of the contentment that he felt in his life in their current protected bubble.

“OK Zayn use me to help you work your genius my friend” he said giving Zayn a playful slap on his bottom and leaning over to see better what Zayn was trying to show him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry wiped the sweat from his brow, from the exertion of digging over a new vegetable patch where he intended to plant potatoes. He had been at it all morning and needed to stop and go clean up so that he could go help his mum in the kitchen, baking bread and cakes for tea. He was looking forward to trying out the recipe he had found for pineapple upside down cake as his mum had found some tinned pineapple rings in the storeroom. 

He was considering getting some chickens to keep in the kitchen garden so they would always have fresh eggs for baking. He decided to ask Alberto if he could bring some back on his next visit.

He wandered back inside washing his hands thoroughly in the kitchen and throwing on one of the kitchen aprons to ensure no dirt from his gardening would make its way in to his baking.

Harry’s mum came into the kitchen just then, walking up to him to give him a kiss on the cheek. “Hi hunny” she said “What are we baking today?”

“I thought we would have a go at that pineapple upside down cake, and” Harry shuffled his feet in embarrassment “I am taking Louis down to the lake for a picnic for tea and thought you might help me make some picnic food?”

Harry’s mum smiled at that. “Well we must spoil the boy who makes my son smile so much mustn’t we! How about some cheese and onion quiche?” 

“That sounds wonderful!” he said clapping his hands together

“We can make a variety of flavours of quiche and serve them for dinner for everyone else too?” Anne decided.

So Harry and his mum spent the next two hours baking a mix of fluffy quiche and sweet cakes and the kitchen smelt positively divine when Alberto came in around 3pm looking slightly windswept. On entering the room he stopped inhaling deeply in appreciation, before Anne ran over to him, wrapping him up in a happy hug. 

“How are long are you back for” she asked.

“Just a couple of days this time. I need to pick up some tracker deactivation bands. We are going to try to liberate the Nottingham encampment, Tony has some men there and they report that it’s where they took a lot of the trades people that were immune. I think they were planning on using them to service the towns when they have cleared them. We could use those skills to help us protect the towns instead.” 

“You will be careful though?” Anne asked.

“I always am” Alberto replied with a smile winking.

Harry suddenly felt that this conversation was heading in a direction that should not be witnessed by him and he coughed slightly as if to remind the two older adults of his presence.

“Harry!” Alberto said jovially “I think you might be needed up in the medical room. I just brought in a couple of casualties and I think Catherine would appreciate the help”

Harry nodded he enjoyed helping Catherine out when she had patients, even if Louis could not join him, and he certainly felt the need to excuse himself from his mum and Alberto’s reunion.

“I will pack you up a picnic basket Harry. You can pick it up on your way to the lake” his mum said smiling softly.

“Thanks mum” Harry replied walking over to kiss her on the cheek before darting out of the room and across the hall to the ballroom.

When Harry entered the makeshift ward he was surprised to see the back of Niall sitting on the first bed. Niall was inherently squeamish and tended to avoid the injured fighters when they were brought in until he knew there was no injury to be seen.

Harry looked across the room to Catherine, waving “Hi”

At the sound of his voice Niall turned around. “Harry come see who it is!” he called moving to the side so that Harry could see to heavily bandaged men sitting up in the next two beds. The bandages could not stop him from recognising Ed and Shawn, even without them both waving through painful grimaces.

“Ed! Shawn! He exclaimed running over to them. “What happened?”

“We triggered an incendiary trap on the last scouting mission, nasty burns” Shawn volunteered. “Alberto says we are to stay here after Catherine has worked her magic and help Liam with defences, apparently we can be trusted”

“It’s great that you will be staying” Harry says with a concerned smile “But what about the burns, Catherine can you treat them ok?”

“Yes they are not that bad, I have applied antiseptic cream and the bandages are just there to stop infection. With any luck they will heal quickly with only minimal scarring” 

“Luckily my pretty face is unharmed” Shawn said cheekily “and Ed’s lovely red hair is still there”

Harry giggled at that “Lucky indeed! Louis will be pleased to know you are OK, he keeps saying how he would have liked to thank you for looking out for me back at the base”

“We look forward to meeting him to. Now Niall here was catching us up with all your news, care to come join us?” Ed said

So Harry spent the next hour catching up with Ed and Shawn of everything they had all been through since their time together at the base. Ed and Shawn were excited when they learned they were staying at Chatsworth House and that there was a communication room, comfortable beds and a shower with warm water. When Harry told him that his mum ran the kitchen’s cooking all meals from fresh food they practically groaned with anticipation. “We have been surviving on tinned stuff for weeks now” Shawn said “I never want to eat another baked bean in my life I swear”

Harry left when the clock in the room said 4.30pm, eager to get to his date with Louis, but promising he would come visit them again tomorrow afternoon after he finished in the gardens. 

He popped back to his room to change into warmer clothes that would keep off any evening chill that might come down. He also picked out a blanket, from the large wooden blanket box in the corner of the room, so that they had something to sit on. He had wondered whether he might bump into Louis at the room so that they could go down to the lake together, but when he is not there by 5 to 5 he decides he best go pick up the picnic from the kitchen and meet him down by the lake.

When he reaches the kitchen there is a packed picnic basket on the worktop with a written note from his mum that says “Have fun xxx”. Harry smiles, scooping up the basket in the hand that isn’t carrying the blanket.

He walks down to the lake enjoying the feel of the late afternoon sun on his face looking out for Louis as he goes. When he reaches the bank of the lake with still no sign of Louis he is little uneasy that maybe Louis forgot, that maybe this wasn’t as important to him as it was to Harry. But then he kicks himself because he knows how Louis feels about him, he has told him so many times with words, with actions and through the look in his eyes when he thinks Harry can’t see him staring.

So instead of fretting Harry spreads out the blanket and sits down to wait. He doesn’t have to wait long before he hears splashing across the lake and looks out to see a figure swimming across from the other side. He giggles catching on to what Louis is up too. He watches as he reaches the bank and eases himself out, wearing just a thin white shirt and his boxers. The shirt is transparent and clinging to his chest revealing his nipples and tattoos and Harry thinks Colin Firth’s Mr Darcy has some very stiff competition right here.

He watches as Louis walks over to him and stands as if to say “So come and get me”. Harry does just that leaping to his feet and tackling Louis down on to the blanket kissing him hard. “You are so hot!” he mutters into his mouth before feeling Louis shiver beneath him “and also you must be freezing! Here take those wet things off and put on this” he says slipping off the extra thick woolly jumper he had put on earlier. If it gets cold later they always have the blanket to wrap themselves in.

Louis does as he is told and then they sit and eat the glorious warm quiche and cake that his mother has packed, with Louis moaning in a filthy way at the taste. “This is so good Harry, I think it’s the best thing I have ever tasted!” 

After they have finished eating Harry pushes the picnic basket to the side and wraps them both up in the blanket, laying himself on top of Louis and snaking his hand under the baggy jumper to smooth over his naked skin. It feels warm now but still soft from the lake water, he kisses Louis deep and strokes him until he is hard whilst Louis returns the favour until they both come into each other’s hands and Harry thinks this is definitely the best picnic ever.

As they lie next to each other breathing deep and watching the clouds moving across the sky, Harry takes Louis’ smaller hand in his and squeezes. “Louis?” 

“Yes babe?”

“Do you think it’s ok, that even though so many people have died, and so many are still suffering out there, I feel blissfully happy here with you” Harry asks softly.

“Yes” Louis replies firmly “I think it’s called hope and hope is what keeps us human”

“Hope” Harry says mulling the word over. “I think what I feel for you, what makes me so happy is definitely love.”

“ I do have hope though. I hope that whatever the future brings I will always be able to come back to you, to be with you at the end of the day”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ended the fic here to avoid it becoming a monster. Hopefully I left it in a place where you can all be happy imagining for yourselves what the future might hold - or where you can just be happy leaving Harry and Louis happily gazing into the sky holding hands.
> 
> I am therefore leaving you guys with the following options - if you feel strongly on any leave me a comment stating which. Most votes win :-)
> 
> 1\. Leave it here and we can all imagine our own endings  
> 2\. I write an epilogue in the future so we can see what I think the future looks like  
> 3\. I write a full sequel following the next stage of the fight 
> 
> Let me know. Also as this is my first fic constructive comments and / or kudos always welcomed.


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